


Eternal Sunshine

by SketchbookThingz



Series: Wonderwall [1]
Category: Thomas Hiddleston - Fandom, Tom Hiddleston - Fandom
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-07
Updated: 2014-03-04
Packaged: 2018-01-03 23:36:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 27
Words: 32,925
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1074375
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SketchbookThingz/pseuds/SketchbookThingz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An AU that was inspired by a dream. I suck real bad at summaries. Please bare with me the story is better than I make it sound.</p><p> </p><p>Tom is stuck in a loveless marriage, which he tries his hardest to maintain. He meets his secretary's friend Elizabeth and is swept into her charm and passion.  But she wants nothing to do with a married man. Will Tom try harder in his marriage or will he abandon everything he worked for, for a girl he just met? What about her secrets? Will he be able to handle them?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Friday Night Fights

Thomas slammed the phone onto its receiver causing some the paperwork that littered his desk to fly off onto the floor. Shortly after a soft knock on his office door pulled him out of his anger.

"Sir," a meek voice said on the other side as the door slowly opened. It was his assistant, Jamie. "Is everything okay?"

Thomas quickly began to pick up the papers on the floor. "Yes," he said rather strongly. "Just an arguement with my wife is all."  

"Oh," Jamie said as she came in and set down a mug with fresh tea on the his desk along with an itinerary for the next day. "You have a couple of meetings tomorrow regarding the floor plans for the new condominium building, along with meetings about the funding for them. All scheduled and timed just right in case either of them go longer than expected."

"Thank you very much, Jamie." he said as he sat at his desk and began to review it. She smiled at him through her horned rimmed glasses and he realized she looked different today. Her hair was down, instead of wearing her usual button up and trousers, she was wearing a pink dress that ended at her knees along with some nude flats.  He didn't question it as she picked up some of the files on the edge of his desk and took her leave from his office. 

She was used to listening to their fights in her seven years of service to him. She had witnessed their drunken spats at the office Christmas parties, or any office party. But she refrained from ever voicing an opinion on his personal life. She was always in before him to open the office and last one out, waiting for him to leave before she ever dared to leave. A loyal employee through and through. 

Thomas sat at his desk reviewing all the paperwork for the coming meetings, but he found it hard to focus. His mind kept coming back to the argument, he didn't know when it had happened, but their marriage started to seem like a long argument that never ended. 

He couldn't pinpoint the moment that the love in their marriage had fizzled, he remembered when they met, young and lovely 12 years ago. Nothing was impossible to them. Now, at 30, it seemed like everything was impossible. The picture he had framed on his desk, a portrait of them on their wedding day mocked him. Her blonde hair in an intricate updo underneath her veil, with a huge smile on her face that made her green eyes gleam with joy, as she had her arms wrapped around his neck. That was back when he was starting his company from the ground up, long nights but back then nothing could stop them. Now he felt like he was up against a heavy weight champion with no one in his corner. 

Coldness crept into the office and Thomas realized that the sun that had illuminated his office was now gone and the moon was beginning it's ascent. Glancing at his watch, he had lost the last two hours of his day to his pondering, and it was now steadily approaching 7:30 in the evening. Sighing he got up and was going to let Jamie know that she should head home, as he would be staying to finish up. 

As he walked out of his office and towards her desk, he saw another girl, brunette, standing next to her desk. "So is this all you do all day?" he heard the brunette ask, sounding slightly bored, and as far as Thomas could tell from her accent, American. "You just sit and answer phones." Jaime let out a giggle. "Shut up, not all of us can leave and travel when we feel like it," she replied to her American friend, at which she laughed. "Exactly! Come on it's your birthday! I have everything well planned!" 

Her birthday! That's why she was dressed up and as Thomas approached he could see the brunette also wearing a party dress, one more daring. Bright red that hugged all her curves and hung off one shoulder and ending right at the top of her knees with a pair of small 2 inch red heels. He couldn't help but let his eyes wonder around her curves as she walked and sat in an empty chair next to her friend and let out a sigh. "But if it is your wish, I shall sit here with you. On this. The night of your birthday. At work." 

Thomas quickly strode over. "It's quite alright Jamie, I'm sorry I didn't realize it was your birthday. You should go enjoy it." 

"Are you sure Mr. Hiddleston," she said as she stood up, "Is there anything you need me to finish up?" 

"Oh," the american interjected. "I'm sure mister big boss here has it covered. Right?" she said as she came up and interlocked her arm around one of Jaime's facing him. Thomas laughed as he saw Jaime's face of shock from the way that her friend had spoken at him and he found this brunette's blunt approach refreshing. "Thomas." he said holding out his hand, "Elizabeth." the brunette said as she shook his hand he looked into her hazel eyes and found himself staring more than he intended when she cleared her throat, "Sorry,can I have my hand back please." 

He quickly cleared his throat and let go of her hand as he took a step back and put his hands into the pockets of his trousers. "Good ahead," he said. "Have fun, it's your birthday. Had I not forgotten I would have bought you a gift and given you the day off. Sorry." 

Jaime just smiled, "It's okay, you're busy. I understand. Thank you." 

"It was nice meeting you." he said to Elizabeth as he turned around and headed back to his office. Once in his office he sank into his chair and let his head fall into his hands, not wanting to go home. Lost in thoughts about which way would be the longest way home to prolong his drive as to avoid a fight, he heard a voice at the doorway. 

"You're welcome to come. I didn't mean to come off as rude, please don't take it out on Jaime. She's a great person." Thomas looked up to see Elizabeth standing in the door way, now wearing a black trenchcoat over her red dress. "She talks about you all the time-" Thomas raised his hand to stop her from continuing. 

"It's quite alright," he began as he stood up and put on his trenchcoat. "She's a great employee, I would never treat her in any other manner but respectfully. She should enjoy her birthday." He began to walk out intothe hall and found Jaime gone, and followed by Elizabeth.

"She's bringing her car around. I don't drive in foreign countries." Elizabeth simply said as she stepped into the elevator with him. The ride down 10 floors was so silent that the gears shifting and the cable redacting to safely land them to safety was the loudest thing that echoed across the building floors. 

As the doors opened Thomas held it open for her allowing her to exit first. "Oh, and here I thought chivalry was dead. Your wife is a lucky one." Thomas felt angry and frustrated again, but if Elizabeth noticed it she didn't mention it, she just continued on talking. "You know you should call your wife and come over. You guys would have fun, it's just a small gathering, I stole her blackberry the other day at lunch copied her contacts and only invited the people she likes." she said with a giggle in her voice as she seemed to replay the day in her head. 

Walking out onto the street the a slight chill blew her hair to the side and her perfume towards him. He quickly stood next to her to keep it from attacking him again. "Thank you for the invitation, but I doubt my wife is any mood for festivities."

"Well, if you can, you should come. I didn't think of inviting her boss because, well back home no one ever invites their boss. But I see you're a nice one. Here" she said as she took a piece of paper out of her pocket and scribbled on it. "If you and your wife change your mind, this is where the party is at."  

Jaime pulled up to the sidewalk and Elizabeth walked away. "Have a nice night." she said as she got in and waved at Thomas. Once again blowing the faint scent of her perfume towards him. Jasmine. 

As the car drove away he began to walk slowly to his car and mindlessly stuffed the paper into the back of his coat pocket as he fished out his car keys. Once inside he stared at the wheel for what seemed an eternity before finally starting it and begining his drive home. 

Pulling into the driveway he could see that his wives car was missing, a scene that was all too common this past year in his home. Walking in he was greeted by the maid, Laura, on her way out. "I made dinner, Mr. Hiddleston," she said as she put her coat on. "It's still warm." 

He nodded as he held the door open for her. "And my wife, has she eaten already?" 

Laura's poker face surfaced, the one she used when she was thinking of something to say without angering her employeer. "I don't know Mr.Hiddleston, I was so busy today cleaning that I did not notice." He didn't look at her as he stared down the hallway to the kitchen and sighed. 

"Good night Mr. Hiddleston," she said as she took her leave. 

Without going into the kitchen he walked upstairs into the bedroom. As he began to take his shoes off he noticed a note on the dresser, it was in his wives cursive. 

**_Thomas, Don't wait up. I won't be home tonight_ **

He crumpled the paper up in his hand in anger and flung it across the room. Grabbed his jacket,car keys and stomped down the stairs. Once he was outside of his car he began to look in his pockets for his phone to begin to look for a number to call a friend. But all that came out was a crumpled peice of paper, he began to undue it fiercely and saw an address written on it.

He remembered the American and his secretary Jaime. Forgotting all about his phone, he got in the car and began to drive away to the party. 


	2. Jaime's Birthday

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading and your interest in my story. Here's some more, please continue to review it and let me know what you do, don't like & if you'd like to read more of this story

Thomas pulled up to a building a couple of streets away from Hyde Park. He made his way in and once in the elevator he began to start to question himself.  _What are you doing? What are you doing here?! Go back home and just wait for Jessica to come home in the morning. NO!_

He was done waiting. That's all it was this past year, her leaving. Him waiting. Always waiting until she came back. And they just swept it away, never talked about it. Just pretended that it did not happen.

It was his turn. 

He found himself walking into a flat full of people, half of the people he saw he recognized. Some of them were faces he had seen around the office, people who he knew no names to. And he was struck with guilt as he made it around these people as they said their hello's, without him being able to say a name back. Did they have families? How long have they worked for him? Luckily the music made it hard to maintain conversations and he would quickly excuse himself as he continued his walk through the flat. But the questions overcoming his mind, were keeping him from having a good time. When he heard a familiar voice. "Mr. Hiddleston." he turned around to find Jamie there hand in hand with someone. 

"Hey," he said with a smile relieved to see someone he knew. "Please, just call me Tom." She smiled, "Okay, Tom. Oh, this is my boyfriend Simon. Simon, this is my boss, Mr. Hid- I mean Tom." 

Simon reached out to shake his hand, "Nice to meet you sir." he said as Thomas shook it. "It's great to meet you as well." After some polite chatter the couple moved on as the birthday girl, Jaime, walked around greeting all her guest. He finally made it towards the counter in the kitchen area where the alcohol was being served and quickly ordered himself a drink. Downing the first one, he asked for another. 

Surveying the flat again and saw the flash of red by the balcony that overlooked the park, and began to make his way through the sea of people. He found her on the balcony with a camera strapped around her neck as she took pictures of everybody. "Hello, mister boss man." she said as she snapped a quick picture of him before letting it hang around her neck. "Where's the missus? I would love to have a picture of the both of you for the scrapbook." 

Thomas took a quick sip of his drink, and bitterly replied "She was feeling under the weather tonight."  

"Oh, I'm sorry," she said as she turned around and took pictures of the party goers. She smiled as she let the camera fall again, "They're going to be together forever." she muttered under her breathe as she stared at them. Thomas looked over to find out what she was talking about and saw Jaime and Simon, looking at each other with such love, sneaking a kiss as they danced. Bitterness overtook him, he remembered when his wife used to look at him like that.

"He's going to propose tonight you know." she said with a chuckle in her voice. "How do you know that?" Thomas said rather unenthusiastically as he sipped on his drink again.

"They've been together long enough, and last time I saw him with that look on his face was when he asked her to move in two years ago. Same look that my -," she stopped herself and just looked at Thomas, "He's gonna ask." 

"How do you even know Jaime, if you don't mind me asking."

She let out a chuckle, "We met as kids. Well not really met, per say. You remember those pen pals things that magazines used to have." Thomas nodded. "Well, my school in New York did this thing were they talked with schools here in London with classes in the same age ranges and had us write to each other back and forth. Jaime and I just kept writing to each other through the years and one year when we were I think sixteen, her family came out and stayed with us in New York. And that was that. We kept in touch of the years, visited each other when we could." 

Reaching the bottom of his glass, he smiled. "I'm going to freshen my drink, would you like me to get you anything?"

"No thanks, I don't drink." He looked at her perplexed.

"You don't drink?" he said taking a step towards her again thinking he might have misheard her.

"Nope. Thanks though." she said as she walked off the balcony and back into the flat as she lifted the camera up and began to take pictures again leaving him behind. The night wind was picking up again and he smelt jasmine again as he walked behind her, back into the party.

An hour later when Elizabeth and another guest wheeled out a three tiered birthday cake, Thomas had lost count of how many drinks he had consumed.  But he didn't care, he was having fun for once. 

Elizabeth stood on a small chair as she got everyone to quiet down. "As some of you already know, I'm Elizabeth, or Lizzy. I consider Jaime here my bestest of best friends ever, and I am happy that you were all able to make it to our little soiree. Jaime, I love you like a sister. If I had one, I would gladly trade your parents, mine for you," everyone laughed. "And I must admit this man standing beside me, made me very jealous. For a long time it was just you and me, until you met this man, dubbed Simon. But I am gratefully you met him. He is smart, charming and fun, and it made me hate him even more as I was feeling replaced." She put her hand on his shoulder and he looked up at her with a smile on his face, she continued with some more about their friend ship before saying  "I wish you and Simon the happiness that my parents were blessed to have and the only reason I'm giving this heartfelt speech is because Simon couldn't think of what to say, except this,"

Getting off the stool she held the microphone in front of his face as he dropped to a knee in front of Jaime and everyone at the party, and opened up a little velvet box with diamond ring in it. "Will you marry me?" Thomas could see tears well up in Jaime's eyes, but he looked back up and saw some in Elizabeth's as well. "Of course" Jaime said as she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. 

The whole scene made his stomach somersault. Or was is all the alcohol he has consumed. Jaime than let go of Simon and hugged Elizabeth and turned to everyone "I'm getting married!" she squealed in delight. He remembered how happy his wife was when he asked her to marry him. 

It was their third anniversary. Sure, they were only 18 years old, but they had known each other years. She was with him through all the hard times, helped dust him off when he thought he was defeated and told him to swing back harder. But after ten years, she was cold, bitter, never there. But he continued to give her everything she wanted. A bigger house to entertain, trips to places she'd never been. Shopping sprees to where ever her heart contended. And how did she repay him? By not being there, by leaving in the middle of night and never calling. While he did what? Waited. All he wanted was a family.

He suddenly felt the need to vomit and quickly began a search for a bathroom. Walking down an empty hallway he began to open every door possible. 

First one was a closet. The second one was a bedroom. It was decorated with purple wallpaper. On the dresser there was photographs of Elizabeth and Jaime, along with Elizabeth and other people, and than it hit him. This was Elizabeth's place. Something inside him held the vile that was threatening it's way up as he decided to explore the room. 

He found one photograph of Elizabeth with Jaime when they were around 16 in front of the Empire State building. In another they were around 25 and in front of the London Eye. He found one of Elizabeth with what he could only conclude was her parents, and on the wall a map where she thumb tacked photos. 

"What are you doing here?" he turned around to find Elizabeth standing in the doorway. Surprised, he dropped the framed photo that was in his hand onto the floor. "I'm sorry, I was looking for the loo, and I got lost." 

"Yeah, it's my room. You're very lost, it s the next door down." she said as she walked over and kneed down to begin picking up the shards of glass. Quickly he dropped down to help her, "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean-"

She held up her hand to stop him talking mid sentence. "Look I get it. You're drunk. Just, the bathroom's next door, just go." 

Guilt ridden he quickly stood up. Too quickly. He began to feel his stomach churn and he brought his hands up to his face. "Oh no!" Elizabeth said as she stood up letting the glass slip back onto the floor. "Please don't puke in my room." She ran to get a trash can out of the corner of her room, it was too late. 

Vomit spilled on the carpet and as he tried to find his way out of the room, onto the bed as well. "Shit." was all he heard Elizabeth say as he blacked out. 


	3. Saturday

A painful pounding of the side of his head awoke Thomas. His eyes popped open as memories began to come to him, last he remembered was vomiting all over Elizabeth's bedroom floor. Quickly he sat up, and found a wet towel that was on his forehead sliding off and onto his lap. He was shirtless in a bed that was not his, he looked around to find the purple wallpaper and pictures of Elizabeth on the dresser staring back at him. 

He was still in Elizabeth's flat. Wait. Why was he shirtless. Had they? 

Before he could get up Elizabeth walked in with a tray in her hands. "Morning mister boss man. How you feeling?" She was wearing loose fitting t shirt with a pair of shorts with her hair was up in a messy bun. 

He sat up with his back against the wall as she sat next to him and handed him a glass with a red drink in it. "Here its a Virgin Mary, it'll help with that hang over," he just looked at her without breathing. "It's not poisonous, I'm not going to bite, and we didn't sleep together okay. Just drink it." He took it from her and drank it slowly as she put the tray on his lap, "Eat." she simply commanded.

It was a plate of eggs, bacon and toast. Despite the pounding in his head, he was hungry and began to consume the breakfast with no questions asked. As he ate Elizabeth took a piece of toast and munched on it as he ate. 

"Well," she said as she wiped her hands on her t shirt. "I am going to take a shower, so you go ahead and finish up eating." 

"Wait," he said as he swallowed some eggs down. "What happened last night." 

Elizabeth let out a sigh as she returned to the bed and sat next to him. "You got extremely drunk, you puked on my bed. You fainted. I took your dirty clothes off you and tucked you in bed, and now I made you breakfast. Oh, and I washed your clothes they're on that chair over there." She pointed to a corner in the room where she had laid out his shirt and pants. 

He looked back and stared into her eyes. So hazel. "Why?" was all he could say, which she responded by giggling as she got up an stretched. 

"I don't know. I guess I saw you passed out in your own vomit and I thought 'Hey, everyone out there works under him maybe I should let them come in here and take photos of him.' But that's not my style. I told everyone that your wife called, and you left early. You're a good person and I wasn't about to ruin your image to your employees. So, if that answers all the questions you have," she said as she stretched out again, "I am going to take a shower now." 

Thomas simply nodded as she grabbed a stack of clothes out her dresser and left in the room. Sitting up slowly  he put his feet on the carpet, when he heard the bathroom door close and the shower turn on. All the sudden music blared from the bathroom as she sang along to the music, causing him to let out a slight chuckle as he stood up. He walked across the room and found slight stains where he had puked the night before and made a mental note of the color of the carpet and to make sure he could get in contact with someone as soon as possible to replace it. 

Jumping into his clothes he walked over to the dresser. Now with the daylight streaming through he could see the photos pinned on the map, they were places she had traveled, her standing in front of famous landmarks. The Louvre in Paris. The Golden Gate in San Francisco. The Alamo in Texas. The Kremlin in Moscow. And of course her in front of the Empire State building in New York. 

Underneath she had pictures of her and Jaime that he had seen last night along with the ones of her with her parents, when all the sudden something shiny caught his attention. On the corner of the mirror hung a gold necklace and at the end of it a silver ring with a diamond, it looked like simple classic engagement ring. 

Before he could further examine it Elizabeth came back into the room. Her brown hair cascaded around her shoulders over a rose colored button up blouse, a pair of jeggings, which he couldn't help but notice that hugged every curve in just the right way with a pair of rose colored chuck taylors that matched her shirt. The rose made her skin glow, Thomas couldn't help but stare as she walked across the room and grabbed her hairbrush off the dresser, and again he was intoxicated with the smell of jasmine. 

"So, do you want to stop somewhere for comfortable shoes?" He suddenly looked at her surprised as she placed two golden rings on the ring finger of her left hand, "Comfortable shoes?" 

She laughed at his surprise as she wrapped the camera that she had around her neck last night back around her neck.

"Yes. I am a photographer and there is so kind of celebration going on at Trafalgar Square that I was hired to cover and I don't want to go alone. I would ask Jaime but I think her and Simon are having a celebration of their own right now. So, seeing as how I cared for you, washed your clothes and made you breakfast, I think that least you can do is accompany me."

He tried to think of something witty to say back but all he could say was "Oh, you're a photographer." which caused her to laugh a little more.

"I'll take that as a yes."

All the sudden the remembered about the fight he had with his wife and began to fluster. "I don't think it is the best of ideas. I really should be heading home now." Jessica would be livid if she knew about this. Sure, nothing had happened, but it would still be blown out of proportion.  Elizabeth made no protest, she did not try to change his mind, just stood to the side and let him walk out of the room and simply said "To the right," as he looked up and down the hall to figure out with way to the door. 

Sitting in his car he began to curse at himself. It wasn't like she was flinging herself at him, she honestly just asked for him to accompany her. Why was he so up in arms about it? It was true she had been good to him in a time of need, maybe she just needed friends. He thought back to the little he could remember of last nights events and did see that she did not seem to hold conversations with anyone for too long. Maybe that was just it, she needed a friend. 

Yeah, I can do that. Thomas thought to himself. I can be her friend. No you can't, something in his brain told him but he ignored it. 

As he got his apology together in his head he looked up to see Elizabeth walking down the street with a blue cardigan unbuttoned and a purple backpack. She turned a corner when he finally forced himself out of the car. There was something about her like a magnet that kept pulling him towards her, and he wasn't about to ignore it. 

"Elizabeth." he said as he began to turn the corner after he almost collided with another pedestrian. "Elizabeth!" he said a bit louder now.The brunette turned around to see Thomas jogging towards him. "Hey mister boss man. I thought you went home."

"I'm sorry." he said, she looked at him with confusion on her face not knowing what he was apologizing for. "I didn't mean to sound rude. I just-" Elizabeth let out a chuckle. "Look it's fine, I get it." 

"You do?"

"Yeah, I'm just some crazy american you met yesterday. It's cool. And you have a wife to get to, I don't blame you. I didn't mean it to sound like you owed me anything, because you don't. " she held out her hand. "We cool?"

Thomas couldn't help but to laugh at her vernacular as he reached out and mimicked her "We're cool." 

"Cool," she said as they shook and then she turned around and headed towards a bus stop. Quickly he kept in step with her. "If the invitation still stands, I would like to accompany you." 

 "Of course it still stands." 

"Good, you've seen where I work, now I would like to see you work." 

Elizabeth laughed, "God, you are so lame." He didn't know why but it made him laugh and together they stepped onto the bus.  

"I'll let that comment slide on account of your American charm." he chuckled. The comment made Elizabeth burst out laughing as she sat down in an empty seat.

"My american charm. I've been called many things in my life, charming, has never been one of them." 

Thomas just smiled as he sat next to her. "Well maybe you just haven't been talking to the right people." 

Elizabeth looked at him with raised eyes and a stifled giggle. "Oh shut up." he simply said as she finally let a giggle escape and the bus continued on its way. 

"Whatever you say mister boss man." 

"Please, call me Tom." 

"'Kay," the brunette said. "Call me Liz." 


	4. Saturday Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>   
>  Chapter inspired by this photo I found floating around. If it's yours let me know I'll credit you  
> b

Thomas sat across the dinner table from his wife as they ate another dinner in silence. It was Jessica that had finally broken the silence. 

"Where were you all day?" 

"Where were you all night?" he said bitterly back.

She froze. The spoon about to bring soup to her mouth steadily held an inch in front of her face. She was not used to Thomas speaking to her in such way about her indiscretions. After the initial shock of the question sank in she continued eating her soup ignoring the question. 

Thomas finally let his utensils clank. “Are you really going to ignore me?” 

Jessica did not reply, she simply used her napkin to wipe any soup on either side of her mouth and excused herself. As she walked away, he hastily chased after her. “Jessica!” he said as he caught up to her at the bottom of the stairs. ”We need to talk.”

She scoffed as if it was unworthy of her time as she pivoted around to stare down at him from the top of the stairs. “There is nothing to talk about Thomas.” He took a step up as he stared into her eyes. “Do you really believe that Jessica?” 

Looking away she scoffed again, “Just because I stayed out one night. Please.” 

Thomas couldn’t hold it in anymore. “No, not just one night. Many nights! Jes. Where do you go? I stay up all night wondering where you are. And you never have once given me a reason but to think the worst. How am I supposed to react? We need to talk." 

Visibly angry Jessica descended two steps, "There is nothing to talk about," she said in a mere whisper. 

"Jes," he said as the walked up two more steps to try to hold her hand. 

"No," she pulled her hand back. "Don't you dare Thomas. I am the one who stayed up late waiting for you to come home, when we first got married. I was the one who waited. Don't you dare try to sound like a victim, I have a right to do what I please." She turned around and walked away leaving a stunned Thomas with nothing to say, but before retreating out of sight, she simply said over she shoulder.

"Don't you forget who helped you build this empire. I can easily help tear it down." 

\--

After hours of driving around and debating with himself he ended up at the Artesian. All his friends had only been his friend though work or through Jessica, who he wasn't about to let any of them know what was happening in his life. Not even he was too clear about that yet. He sat in an empty booth to the side, away from other patrons as he sipped on a martini. What had Jessica meant by what she said? Right now he just wanted to stay away, get away, if only for a moment. 

Lost in thought about what to do next, or what to say, he suddenly he saw a familiar face walk through the door. It was Elizabeth, she was wearing half of her hair up in a ponytail and the other half was down in curls around her shoulders. She wore an emerald lace dress, the shoulders and sleeves were a beautiful intricate lace pattern from the chest to the knees it was a solid green silk with a black satin sash around her waist and pair of black flat. And right away he could see why she had worn flats instead of heel, she was there with a gentlemen who was equally as dressed up as her, but he was only an inch or two taller than her. 

Thomas chuckled to himself seeing such a sight as they sat at a table. She just smiled the entire time, as they chattered. After a couple of minutes her date excused himself from the table and walked away. At that moment Elizabeth let a deep breathe out and her smile faded away as she stared down at her watch and let a sigh escape. He got up and began to walk over to her as she asked for a shot of whiskey and downed it faster than he could say hello. 

Elizabeth looked up from where she sat and saw Thomas just two feet away. "Mister boss man!" she said with a smile that he had seen earlier that day. A real smile, not the smile that she had been wearing since she got in the bar. The one he had seen on her face all morning as she weaved around the crowded space of Trafalgar Square taking pictures. Pure enjoyment of just being alive.

"Elizabeth," he said back amused. "I thought you didn't drink." 

"I don't but I'm stuck on this boring blind date Jaime stuck me on. Please rescue me. Is your wife here? We can double date!" 

Thomas just shook his head. "Oh." Elizabeth said suddenly looking sad as if she was told that her favorite flavor of ice cream had just ran out. Just than her suitor returned. 

"Tom this is Henry. Henry this is Tom." she simply said as she introduced the men to each other. Henry looked at her quizzical as if to ask what his relation was to her, Elizabeth had opened her mouth to say something, when Thomas spoke first. "I'm her employer. I actually need apologize ahead of time for the inconvenience of ruining your fine evening, but the photos you took this morning were a bit unsatisfactory. I came to ask you to please help pick a new venue right away as this issue needs to go to print tomorrow evening."

"Oh." Elizabeth said a bit happily as she stood up. "I'm so sorry Mr. Hiddleston. Henry I do apologize." She reached her hand over the table to shake his. "It was nice to meet you. See you around, yeah?" 

Henry just nodded as Thomas escorted Elizabeth out of the bar and it was not until they were outside and on the sidewalk that they both started laughing. "Thank you, so much." she said in between breathes. "The guy was nice, just so boring. I told him from the beginning that I didn't drink. And what does he do?" 

"Take you to a bar." Thomas replied her rhetorical question. "Why did Jaime set you up on such a dull blind date?" 

"I'm the maid of honor and he's the groomsmen that they paired me with. They're trying to play matchmaker with me. It's actually a tad bit funny." 

"Oh." Thomas said in surprise. 

"What?" Elizabeth asked as they came to the corner of the sidewalk at a stop. 

"I thought you were married too, or at least engaged." he simply responded as he recalled the diamond ring that hung on her dresser and the golden rings she wore on her hand. 

"Oh," Elizabeth laughed, "These?" she held up her left hand to show the golden rings again. "No, sadly," she sighed, "They are not mine, they belonged to my parents. Look," she said as she stood right next him and intoxicated him with the smell of jasmine yet again. Holding up her hand closer to his face now so he could see the designs on the bands. Stacked together the golden rings made two complete interlocking hearts, but if separated each ring only had two halves of two hearts.

"My mother always told me that they were two souls just lost in the world, until they met each other and realized where they belonged. My dad always told me that they were just two halves of the same soul that were looking for each other, and that without her his life would always be incomplete. So they agreed on this design for the wedding rings. Said that it symbolized how they would always just two halves destined to be together."

On pure instinct Thomas put his hands up and held hers in his as he listened to her tell the story. The warmth and softness of her hand sparked something inside him, perhaps it was because Jessica and himself had shared no contact in so long that he forgotten what it felt like, but if it bothered Elizabeth when he used the tip of his fingertips to trace the outline of the rings and her finger as he did, she didn't mention it. 

After a moment passed, she began to slowly pull her hand back from him, "They were two hopeless romantics, who somehow found each other. Anyways, I'm starving, so I'm going to head home. Thanks again." 

Thomas quickly offered a her a ride home, which she accepted only after making sure that he had not drank enough as to impair his driving. 

"Thanks again." she said as she began to open the door to get out. 

"Is it alright, if I come up?" Thomas asked, Elizabeth looked at him with a raised eyebrow. A pause happened in between before Thomas replied. "I just need somewhere to be for a moment, and I really can't think of anywhere else to go. If that's alright with you." 

Elizabeth looked at how distraught he had suddenly become and couldn't bring herself to say no to him. "Only if you agree to one rule and one rule only." 

Thomas simply nodded. "No drinking, okay. Can't have you puking on any more of my things." she said with a giggle which caused him to slightly blush and laugh as well. 

"Agreed." 

\--

Once in the apartment the Thomas sat on the couch as he channeled surfed for something to watch and Elizabeth cooked up some chicken in the kitchen. 

After a couple of minutes Elizabeth came back with two bowls of chopped up chicken drizzled with some sauce and cashews on top of some steamed rice and bottles of water. She handed one of the bowls to Thomas as she sat next to him on the couch, "So Tom," she said as she crossed her legs and leaned her back against the opposite armrest as to face him instead of the television. "What brings you to Château Liz for refuge," she began to take forkfuls of her bowl.

Thomas looked at his food not being able to bring himself to say what had happened. But he found himself spewing everything to this stranger that he met a day ago, but she didn't blink her face never changed expression she just nodded as she ate and listened to his marriage problems and how he didn't know who to confide in anymore. She never judged, just listened.

At the end Elizabeth had finished her bowl and placed it on the coffee table beside her and smiled, "Well who else to tell than a stranger!" she laughed. "Well, I'm sorry you're having such problems, but like every marriage they have their ups and downs. This is what you need to do," she wiped her hands on her green dress and scooted closer to him.

"Corner her after a shower or something, maybe before you go to sleep and do this," she put her hand on his cheek and felt the warmth and softness of her hand on his flesh and couldn't help but turn into it.

"And you look her straight in the eyes, and you say. ' Baby, I love you, and I want this to work. We've been together too long to just let it fall. What do you say.' And then you take your free hand, and hold one of hers, like this," she reached over and grabbed his hand with her free hand and brought it up to her chest. "And say, 'From the bottom of my heart, I'm asking, can we work this out?'" 

Thomas stared into the brunette's hazel eyes as he felt the gentle beating of her heart underneath the green lace that covered her chest. He felt himself leaning forward and Elizabeth dropped both her hands and quickly got up. "And if that doesn't work, I don't know what will, friend." 

Staring up at her, he felt his cheeks flush, realizing her made her slightly  uncomfortable, and looked away towards the front door as he sat up. Looking at the door he saw a bag of luggage and a backpack near the front door. "Are you planning a trip?" 

Elizabeth laughed as she drank some water. "Yeah, I'm going back home for while. I leased this place because Simon had called me and told me he was proposing so I knew that I was going to be here for a while. I need a place of my own while I go back and forth, but I'm missing home and plus I have more work to do there too." 

"To New York?" Thomas asked not having anything else to say. She nodded as she gulped down some water. 

"But don't have it twisted, I don't live in the city. I can't handle the city I live upstate in the woods," she laughed. "I like my peace and quiet." 

"When do you leave?"

"Tomorrow night." Thomas just nodded, as he took a sip of his water. "This may be a little weird, but can you help me." she said as she turned her back on him moved her hair out of the way to show the zipper. 

He simply nodded and unzipped the top portion of her dress, and he couldn't help but notice as the flap opened a slight scar on the right side of her back. 

"I'll be right back," she said as she walked away to her bedroom, leaving Thomas to sit back down on the couch watching mindless reality television. As he began to channel surf again Elizabeth jumped over  the back of the couch and let herself fall with a plop next to him. This time she was wearing loose sweat pants and a nicely fitted t-shirt and her hair was now all up in a makeshift ponytail. There was something so beautiful about the simplicity of this moment that made him smile. 

After another half hour of talking about nothing in the world Thomas finally decided that it was time to go home. At the door Elizabeth hugged him, and again he was blasted with the smell of jasmine, but he hugged her and pulled her in towards him. He didn't know why but he felt sad already knowing that this may be the last time that he would see her in, who knew how long. So he took a deep breathe in letting the jasmine sink into his brain and kissing her on the cheek. 

"Don't forget to do that thing I taught you okay. You guys have been together for to long to fall so easily." 

Thomas had just one question, "Why? I mean not to sound ungrateful, but why do you want to help me mend my marriage so much?" 

She simply smiled a wide smiled and shrug, "I was raised by two hopeless romantics, and I can't stand to see love crumble. At least if there's anything that I can do about it. Plus, any friends of Jaime's is mine. So by proxy," she said laughed. "You know have me in your corner whether or not you like it. Chalk it up to my 'american charm' as you so put it." 

Thomas smiled, "Well then friend, I wish you a safe flight." 

"Thank you friend, and I wish you all the luck in the world. Keep your head up." 

With that he took his leave and headed home to put her advice in action. Wishing it was with someone else that he was using it on. 


	5. October

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you all for reading and liking my story!  
> Comments are always appreciated, let me know what you do or do not like.

It had been three months since Elizabeth left for New York, and things in London had began to fall into place slowly. Thomas had taken her advice and Jessica has reciprocated. They slowly began to rebuild their life, she would occasionally show up at the office for lunches with him. She was home when he would get home from work, had even started cooking dinners herself again. And they even began to share intimate moments every now and again. 

But communication, that was their biggest hurdle. They mostly ate in silence, spoke about their days and that was it. When he mentioned maybe seeing a marriage counselor to help open their communication problem a week ago, she walked away and he slept in the spare room. Since then it had been downhill again. No lunches and no dinners. 

Halloween was right around the corner, the office was covered with orange and black streamers along with decorations of witches and monsters and candy bowls were scattered throughout the office. It was three days before Halloween when Thomas was walking towards Jaimes desk, he saw her on the phone smiling, "I know! I'm so excited, this time it's my turn to throw you a party, what time is your flight in?" 

All the sudden his words got stuck in his throat as Jaime said. "Ok, I'll see you tomorrow," and hung up the phone to pay her undivided attention to her employer. "Yes Mr. Hiddleston?" she said looking up at him through her horned rimmed glasses. 

"Was that Elizabeth?" he found himself asking a bit quickly.

Jaime looked surprised at her employer, she looked at her phone and than back him. "Oh, yeah. I'm throwing her a birthday party, she's a Halloween baby. Umm, was there something you needed me to do?" she asked again as she reached for the files in his hand.

"Oh yes," he opened up one of the files, "This meeting on Thursday, I thought we already met with them last week, has something grave come up?"

Shuffling around her desk she looked for her phone pad, "Yes, I have a message here, I apologize I should have included it in the memo's give me a moment." Thomas couldn't help but notice some letters on Jamie's desk that had the name Elizabeth on it, along with the last name of Reynolds. 

Reynolds, he repeated to himself internally. In the last minute he learned that Elizabeth's last name was Reynolds and Halloween was her birthday. When he realized the address was her flat her in London. Why did Jaime have her mail?

"They called yesterday said that some of the funding may be falling so they need to hold a meeting with you as soon as possible to see what the next move will be." She said as she handed him the note. "They said they will be bringing in some key players to help move this forward."

"Thank you," he said as he took the note from her, hesitated to ask about Elizabeth, and decided to walk away. Knowing Jaime and himself would be the last ones out, he waited until then to finally ask what he wanted to know. 

It was around 6 pm when he made sure that no one else was around, he put his coat on, and walked over to Jaime. "Guess we can call it a day." he smiled at her. 

"Yup," she smiled back as she shut her computer down and put her coat on as well. 

"If you don't mind me asking, are you looking over Elizabeth's place while she's gone?" 

Jaime froze for a moment as she picked up her purse and put it on her shoulder. "Why do you ask Mr. Hiddleston."  

"I kind of owe her," he said as Jaime looked at him quizzically .

"What do you owe her?" Jaime asked non accusingly, but very confused. Thomas hesitated, how was he to let her know of what had happened without having her look at him in a different light, he was after all her boss. But she was his most loyal employee, and found himself telling her about how he had too much to drink at her birthday party and his incident in her bedroom, but left out the next day and the advice she had given him. 

Jaime stifled a small giggle, "So you want to replace the carpet in her apartment." she concluded on her own as she began to ruffle through her purse. 

"Yes," Thomas said as he let out a deep breathe. "Would it be okay if-" before he could finish his thought Jaime held out a single key and put it in his hand. 

"Don't let her know I let you in, she hates it when people do things for her. Good night Mr. Hiddleston." and with that took her leave. 

\--

"In here," he told him friend Benedict, an interior home designer that he hired for all his contracts, as he led him to the bedroom. 

"Wow." was all his friend could saw as he surveyed the room. 

"I know, I was drunk." 

"No not the stain, this room. Everything in here is so loud." he simply said as he surveyed the purple walls and the funky photos, and bright lime green dresser. 

"Ben, focus. We're not here to redecorate her room. We're here because of this." he pointed to the stain again. 

"I know, I know." he waved his friend away as he began to look at the color of the carpet. "Not bad, I have something that matches this, I can have it done by tomorrow morning." 

"Thank you so much." Thomas said as he began to leave his friend to do his work. 

"Tom," Thomas turned around and looked at his friend, "What are your intentions with this girl?" 

"What?" Thomas sputtered. 

"Look, I know you and Jessica are having problems because, well frankly, she called me up a couple of months ago drunk trying to sleep with me. She just blabbed on forever about your marriage, but I didn't say anything. You're my friend, I thought you guys just had a fight, but this girl. She wouldn't be the reason for your fights would she?" 

Thomas was flabbergasted that his friend would accuse such thing, and began to process everything that he just said to him. 

"Wait, Jessica tried to sleep with you?" 

"She was drunk and angry." 

"What happened?" 

"Nothing, I told her to sleep it off and hung up on her." 

Benedict looked at him with a seriousness that Benedict had never seen on his face before. "Thomas I understand you're going through hard times, look at me and Sarah, we've had our ups and downs." 

"Look, she's just a friend. I puked on her carpet and I'm here to make it right, okay. Jessica and I have been having problems long before I met Elizabeth, it's nothing like that." Seeing his friend become so defensive, Benedict dropped the conversation. 

"Okay, okay. But you know you can always talk to me." Thomas nodded and took his leave. 

As he drove up to his home, his wife's car was gone. 

\--

"Hi, Mister boss man." Elizabeth said as she wrapped an arm around his waist and kissed him. 

"Hello stranger." he smiled as he pulled her closer. They were both naked and the heat from their bodies was the only thing keeping them warm.  Her legs intertwined with his and he felt the beating of her heart against his chest. 

Staring into her hazel eyes he kissed her forehead. "I don't think it's fair that you call me a stranger after what we just did." she said with a giggle in her voice. He laughed and kissed her letting his tongue explore her mouth causing her body to arch and press into his with a moan. 

"You're right." he whispered as he ran his fingers up and down her arms. 

"Tom." someone said that he couldn't see. 

"Whose here?" he asked looking at Elizabeth. 

"No one." she said. 

"Tom." the voice said again. 

She kissed his forehead, "It's time to wake up." 

"What?" he looked at her confused. 

"Tom?" 

He was awaken by a hard shove on his shoulder, causing him to shoot up in his chair. Looking around he saw that he was in his office, at his desk. He had fallen asleep at work, Jaime was standing in front of his desk, "Are you okay?" 

"Yes, I'm sorry." he said as he stood up and straightened out his clothes. 

"Your three o clock meeting is starting." 

"Thank you Jaime," he simply said as he grabbed the files on his desk and headed to his meeting. 


	6. Halloween

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for support, I'm happy that you're enjoying reading it as much as I enjoy writing it.  
> Please continue to let me know what you do or do not like or any suggestions you may have.

At night Thomas had given up on driving across town to an empty home, and had began to sleep on the couch in his office. Sure it was uncomfortable, but not as much as the silence that filled his home. He would drive during his lunches to his house for the sole purpose of to shower, get new clothes, and that was it. He would rather endure the hard couch in his office than the silence that filled the mansion he had bought as their family home. 

It was the morning of Halloween when he noticed the things in his dressers weren't there anymore. He searched the closet, they were gone from there too. Sudden panic raised in him and ran to the guest room. 

In there he found all his belongings. "Laura," he called out as he began to search the house for her. "Laura?" He found her in the kitchen. 

"Yes Mr. Hiddleston?" she said as she dropped the dishes in her hands back into the sink. 

"My things, why are they in the guest room?" 

"Mrs. Hiddleston said it was your wish to put them in there." 

Thomas didn't say anything, just walked away, he searched for a bag in the back of the closet and began to pack some of his belongings. 

\--

Back in the office everyone was talking about what party they were going to attend, what costumes they would be wearing, and Thomas just sat in his office with his bag hidden underneath his desk. 

All the meetings of the day had been done with and he sat staring out of his window watching the sun set when there was a knock on his door. "Mr. Hiddleston." It was Jaime. 

"I'm sorry, to bother you, but I have to get going today. Simon and I have things to set up tonight."

"Oh yes, your friends party." he said as he looked back at her. "Its quite alright Jaime, you should go have fun." 

Jaime looked at her employer with sadness in her eyes, "Is everything okay Mr. Hiddleston?"  Hesitation filled the room as he thought about what to say. 

"Yes." he said after taking a deep breath. "Just thinking about this fall through with some of the investors on the project, a bit stressful." he lied. 

She simply nodded, she had worked for him long enough to know when he was lying. "If  your wife and yourself aren't doing anything tonight, you're both more than welcome to come. The party will be at Cafe De Paris." 

Thomas nodded, "Thank you for the invitation." he simply said as she took her leave.

Two hours later after much arguing with himself, he found himself buying a bouquet of jasmines at the only florist still open at such an hour, as he continued his way to the party. Tonight he wasn't going to sleep on the couch or go to an empty home, he was going to have fun.

Walking into the venue he saw that he was entirely too overly dressed, it was a costume party and it seemed to be fairy tale themed.Some were dressed as princesses, mermaids, others in characters he didn't comprehend or knew, seeing all these suddenly he felt a pang of sadness. 

He began to remember when Jessica and himself had began to plan a family. The excitement, the planning, he had even gone out and bought an arm full of books, things he was going to read every night to their child. But whenever he brought up the idea, Jessica would always say tomorrow. Tomorrow. Tomorrow never came. 

As he made his way through the dance floor he caught a glimpse of Jaime and Simon as they danced with huge smiles on their faces, they were dressed as Aladdin and Jasmine. 

This time around there weren't many faces that he recognized, but all the sudden he did recognize some. But why? They were famous, there were some famous people at her party, now he felt out of place, but he continued on looking for Elizabeth. He saw a crowd near the bar and he walked over as he heard them sing happy birthday mutely as the music playing was louder then them. 

As he made his way he saw her sitting on a bar stool, her brown hair was up in a perfect high bun at the top of her head. She was wearing a skin tight green dress that began just underneath her chest which pressed her breast up against her body and ended just slightly above her knees, and on her feet were green flats with giant white balls of fuzz. She was Tinker Bell. But one thing was out of place, instead of wings she was wearing a mini jean jacket that covered her arms and her upper back. The more he looked at her in the dress began bring back memories of the dream he had a couple days ago, and he had to look away for a moment before looking back at her. 

When he looked back he noticed her camera hung around her neck,and that smile that he remembered of the day that he spent with her, was on her face as she thanked everyone for being there and snapped pictures with some of the well wishers. As the crowd of well wishers began to pan out he walked up to her. "Happy birthday," he said as he sat on the stool next to her. The smell of jasmine intoxicated him, but he didn't know if it was because of the bouquet he held in his hands, or her perfume. "Hey Tom! Thanks, it's nice to see that you could make it." she said, as he handed her the jasmines. "These are for you." 

"No way. How did you know jasmines are my favorite." she simply said as she took them and buried her nose in them. 

"Lucky guess." he lied, "Didn't know that you knew famous people." 

She laughed, "I am a freelance photographer, so I've met quite a lot of people on my travels. And yes some of them happen to be famous. Where's your famous wife by the way? I haven't met her yet."

Thomas just ordered a drink and didn't say anything. "No!" she shoved him on the arm. "I gave you relationship gold! What happened." 

He just shook his head, "I really don't want to go into it right now, it's your birthday, I'd rather not depress you at your party." 

Then a song started playing that made her sit up in her chair and a twinkle in her eye. "I love this song." She stood up and set the bouquet on the counter along with her camera and began to tug on the bottom of her dress as of she was willing it longer. Seeing what she was doing, he was about to ask her to dance, another man came up and spun her around, "Lizzie, do me the honors of dancing with me." 

"Well of course," she said as put her hands on his shoulders and led her away to the dance floor. He watched through sips of his martini as she danced and laughed, when the song ended someone else asked her to dance and off she went again. 

WIth that smile on her face the entire time. After a couple of songs she began to make her way back to the bar and he decided that he needed to go. 

"No you can't go without giving me one dance. Everyone here has danced with me but you. It's my birthday." The smile and her persistence made him smile and he caved. 

"Okay." he allowed her to lead him onto the dance floor. They were about to dance when the dj stared a slow song. 

She wrapped her arms around his neck as he put his hands on her waist, and he looked around again. "Fairy tales?"  he asked. 

"Yeah," she laughed as she looked around and back at him. "I'm a sucker for fairy tales, like I said I was raised by hopeless romantics." 

"But Tinker Bell?" 

"Hey," she said as she playfully punched his shoulder. "I love Tinker Bell. My dad used to call me his little Tinker Bell, said I was three times as mischievous." she proudly said as her smile widen. "When I get married I'm going to have an army of children and they will be my band of lost boys and I their Tinker Bell." That statement hit him close to home and he quickly had to change the subject. 

"Where are your parents?" 

She let go of him, and her smile dropped  "Sorry, I should let you get going to your wife. Thank you for coming, and the flowers."

As she walked away he didn't understand what he had done wrong. but before he could ask she was already gone in the crowd dancing with someone else.

He began to make his way out of the venue when the music cut out and someone stepped onto the stage, it was Jaime.

"Thank you everyone for making it to our shindig. As you all know we're here to celebrate my best friends 28th birthday. Elizabeth! Come up here." Everyone cheered and rooted for her as she began to make her was up beside Jaime. "This girl has been there for me through thick and thin, and even found me a husband." 

"Shut it!" Elizabeth said with smile on her face as she wrapped an arm around her friend. Some other people began to wheel out a five tier cake with sparklers on it and everyone began to sing happy birthday as it made its way onto the stage. When all the sudden someone started to yell from the other side of the dance floor. Thomas couldn't hear what it was from where he was standing, but Elizabeth became visibly distraught.  

Jaime put the microphone away and Simon came up onto the stage and wrapped an arm around Elizabeth as he led her off the stage.  The person screaming at the other side of the dance floor began to walk towards her, but some people got in his way. 

As Simon escorted Elizabeth out of Cafe De Paris they ran into Thomas. "Tom," Simon said, "Can you please take Liz home, I have to go back and make sure Jaime is okay." 

Thomas looked at Elizabeth who kept staring at the floor with tears in her eyes, and simply nodded. "Thank you." he said as he left to check on his future wife.  Thomas wrapped an arm around her shoulders and began to lead her to his car. 

As he put the key into the ignition, he was about to ask what the yelling was all about, who was that man? When Elizabeth began to cry. She put her hands up to her face and cried. He decided that it would be best if questions were saved for later, and just began to drive away, back towards the apartment that overlooked Hyde Park. 


	7. Halloween Pt. 2

As Thomas parked his car outside of Elizabeth's building she had calmed down, and began to wipe away the running mascara from her cheeks. 

"I must look a mess." she muttered as she wiped her hands against her green dress. Before he could say anything Elizabeth picked up his bag that was on the floor of the front seat. It was another bag of his things. 

"Oh sorry." he said as he reached for it. "I forgot I left that one there." 

Elizabeth snapped back and pulled the bag against her, "You moved out?" 

"Not really. Like I said it's complicated. I was actually going to spend the night at a hotel." 

"No, you're not friend. Come on." She said as she got out of the car with the bag still in her hands. 

Thomas got out and kept in stride with her, "I don't know if that'd be such a good idea." 

"Please, I'm not going to let a friend sleep in a hotel, come on. And you can tell me what you did wrong and I'll help you fix it." 

"What I did wrong?" Thomas sputtered out angrily and Elizabeth just let out a slight chuckle.

"Oh okay, what you both did wrong," When they reached the elevator Elizabeth turned to face him, "Look, to be honest, I just don't want to be alone after what happened. But if you don't want to stay, it'll be okay, I totally understand."

The elevator doors opened as Thomas just stared at her, she handed him his bag, and seeing as he wasn't moving she leaned forward and kissed his cheek, "Thanks for the ride." she simply said as she turned and walked into the elevator.

As the doors began to close he stuck his hand in, "Wait." he said as he walked into it.

\--

He sat on the couch as Elizabeth went to change, when she came back he could tell that she had washed the make up off her face, and was able to see a few faint freckles. She was wearing a pair of baggy sweats and a fitted t shirt, her hair still up in the high bun. She jumped over the back of the couch like she did the last time he was there and handed him a bottle of water as she opened another. 

"Thank you for the carpet by the way." she said as she took a sip out of it. "You didn't have to do that. It's not like I'm going to live forever, but it was a nice sentiment." 

"It's the least I can do. How long are you planning on staying if you don't mind me asking." 

She shrugged her shoulders. "Don't know, like I said I got this place on the sole purpose to be here for the wedding, but they can't seem to decide on a date. So I'm stuck with place for a while longer. I just wish they would just elope and get it over with." 

They both laughed as she reached over to turn the television on. After mindless channel surfing Thomas finally asked. "What happened back there?" 

A deep sigh escaped for her mouth as she stared at her hands, "I was wishing you wouldn't ask," she muttered, she folded her legs under her, "But you have shared your relationship problems with me, I might as well share mine with you." 

A smile sneaked across her face, "His name is Jason and we're sort of engaged." 

"Sort of?" Thomas raised his eyebrows as he shifted on the couch to give her his undivided attention. 

"Yes. Sort of." 

"How are you 'sort of' engaged with someone? You either are or you're not." 

"It complicated." 

He lifted the bag that held his belongings, "Well I don't have anywhere to be at the moment, I have time." She chuckled as she shook her head. 

"Fine. We were dating for two years when he asked me to marry him last year." 

Scooting closer to her he turned the television off, "What are you not telling me."

She shrugged, "I didn't say yes and I didn't say no, I just said I needed some time. I didn't know that he had fallen in love with me that hard, I just never brought it upon myself to tell him that I don't love him the way that he loves me." 

"Okay, well you've had a year now. What are you going to tell him?" 

Her legs began to curl up underneath her as she wrapped her arms around her chest and held herself, her eyes began to glaze over with tears, but she didn't cry. "That I can't marry him. I don't love him back the way he loves me. I don't think I ever will. " 

Thomas reached his hand out and put it on the hand that held unto her right shoulder. He wanted to say 'It's okay' but realized that it would do no good in this situation. 

"It's okay," she said as she unwrapped herself, "It's just," she smiled as she stared out the window. "I grew up with a certain idea of what love was, that I'm just not satisfied until I have what my parents had. That was real love, you know," she looked back at him with a huge smile on her face. "The type where they just look at each other and smile for no good reason. Just because you're happy that this person is beside you. When no matter what you do, they are the only thing on your mind." She let a laugh out, "I won't settle for anything less, but I can't bring myself to break his heart either. I still love him in a way."

"What happened to your parents?" he asked, she stood up and stretched. 

"That my friend, is a story for another day. Now your turn." she said as she retreated to the kitchen for bottles of water and sat back next to Thomas. "What happened with you and your wife." 

Taking a deep breath in Thomas began to tell her about how her advice had worked for a while, but how quickly it had crumbled as well. 

"Wow, I'm sorry friend. It does sound like you need a counselor this time around. No amount of relationship gold that I have up my sleeve will ever help you." 

He let himself sink into the couch. "Yeah, I know." he simply muttered. 

They mindlessly watched random shows on television when Thomas noticed Elizabeth begin to fall asleep. 

"Hey," he said as he reached over and placed his hand on her thigh that was closet to him. "Maybe you should head to bed."

She just nodded, as they both got up from the couch, he stretched and felt tiredness begin to wash him over as well. "So I'll take the couch?" he said as he looked her. 

"No, take the bed." 

"Are you sure?" 

"Yeah. It's big enough we can share it." 

"Share?" he asked as he followed her back to the room. 

"Yeah, haven't you shared a bed before?"  Elizabeth said with arched eyebrows as if she was having to explain to him how birds fly.

"Well, yeah with my wife but," he began to mutter and she laughed. 

"Look its fine," she opened the closet and handed him an extra blanket and pillow. "You will sleep on one side with your blanket, and I on the other side with my blanket, it's totally platonic. Haven't you ever had sleep overs before?" 

Thomas just stared at her as she let herself fall onto the bed and wrapped herself up in a cocoon underneath the purple blanket she had retrieved from the closet.

"Well yeah, but I was like eight, we're adults now." 

Elizabeth let a sigh escape as she headed back to the closet, "Look well this make you feel better," she pulled out a body pillow and set it as a divider in the middle of the bed before letting herself settle back to her previous position on the bed. 

He slowly began to walk over to the other side of the bed and as he laid down he saw that she was right. There was a space between them, even with the pillow inbetween, which made him feel a bit more comfortable as he wrapped himself in the warm neon bright blue blanket she had handed to him. 

The warmth of the blanket finally won him over and he began to let himself succumb to sleep with he heard Elizabeth whisper, "Hey Tom." 

"Yeah?" 

"If you tell anyone what I told you tonight, I'll kill you. Can't be letting people know how soft I am now can we." 

He let out a half awake laugh, as he turned around and looked at her in the dark, "I know, and if you tell anyone what I told you, I'll kill you." 

Elizabeth laughed as she turned around putting her back to him. "Night Tom." 

"Night Elizabeth." he said as he let the warmth of the blanket and the scent of jasmine lull him to sleep. 

 


	8. Lunch with Mrs. Hiddleston

Thomas sat in his office as he revised the next meeting minutes, the investors were to be there after lunch and the minutes were creeping by fast. 

"Sir?" Jaime said as she walked in. 

"Jaime, give me a moment I just want to finish these minutes for the meeting, and I'll address anything else." 

"Hello darling." a familiar voice said, Thomas looked up to find his wife standing there, and Jaime retreated. 

"Jessica, what are you doing here?" He said as Jaime closed the door behind her and he went back to address his meeting agenda. 

"Well, is that anyway to address your wife after you spent the night with another women?" Thomas froze, dropped his pen and looked up at his wife. 

"Jessica, whatever you think you know," he began but was cut off by his wife. 

"You don't know what I know, and I don't care what you think I know. So I'll tell I what I do know," the blonde said as she walked over to the window and looked down over the streets. 

"I do know that when we got married, my family poured every cent available to help you start this business, and what I do know is that you made it successful." Thomas sat in his chair, staring at his wife, not knowing what to say, or knowing where this conversation was heading.

"What I do know is that last night some friends of mine saw you coming out of Cafe de Paris last night with a girl, and stay the night with her." 

"Jessica-"

"Thomas please, let me finish." He sank further into his chair as Jessica walked across the office and sat back down in the chair across from his desk. "What I do know is that if you don't end whatever you think you are hiding, I will file for divorce and I will be damned if I do not destroy everything that we have built." 

"You have no right!," Thomas said now angry at what she had said. "I have built this company on my own from the ground up. How dare you insinuate that I am having an affair. How about you Jessica, where do you spend your nights?"

Jessica simply laughed, "Of course, that is none of your business, even if you tried, no one will ever talk against me. Remember you married into my family, not the other way around. You on the other hand," She sat back as she crossed her legs and looked around his office, "If I so as much hint that you are doing unfair dealings, you will have this crumble in a night." 

Thomas sank into his chair, "Why?" he simply whispered, "Have I not given you everything you ever wanted?" 

She simply stood up as she looked down at him, "This isn't about what you have or have not given me, it's about what you have taken from me." 

He looked at her with confusion, "Taken from you?" 

"See Thomas, I was young and I didn't realize it at the moment, but I guess that's how the story goes. I was 18, and thought that I was in love. These past 12 years all I ever did was wait for you. Support you. My entire life has revolved around you. I never breathed for myself. I always waited for you. Cooked for you. I just realized within the past year that I am tired of waiting. I am tired of sitting around. It's about time that I do things that make ME happy. Because frankly dear, you haven't done that in years." 

Salt water stung his eyes as he listened to his wife, the woman he had loved was transformed into someone else. Someone cold, someone hard. 

"Now, if you excuse me darling, I have friends to meet up with." She grabbed her purse of the chair. "See you at home darling," she simply said as she took her leave.

Left alone in his office, he began to breathe heavily as his tears began to stream down his cheeks. He left out a scream as he lifted the framed photo of them off his desk and threw it against the wall, smashing the glass to pieces. 

 


	9. The Apartment Overlooking Hyde Park

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone who continues to read and like my story.   
> Please let me know what you do and do no like.   
> <3

Thomas cancelled his meetings for the rest of the day and found himself driving to Elizabeth's. Full of anger and hurt, he banged his fist on her door. 

"Coming!" she yelled from the other side, he heard her trip over something. "Motherfucker!" she yelled again as she began to hop towards the door. 

As she opened the door Thomas saw that she was wearing a grey tank top, a pair of shorts, she was barefoot and was holding onto her left foot with her left hand as she balanced her right hand on the door. Her hair was down and wet, water was beginning to drip down the tips of her hair and made her breast glisten. "God, what is it? Is someone dying, you almost broke my door!" she said as she stared at him a bit angry and perplexed at the same time. 

He stepped in and slammed the door behind him as he took a step forward, and did what he wanted to do since the night before. He pressed himself against her, losing himself in the scent of jasmine again, and kissed her, wrapping his arm around her waist and his other hand on her cheek. 

The softness and warmness of her skin excited him, and continued to press himself against her. He didn't know if he had imagined it, or if it actually happened, but he could have sworn she was kissing him back, until she began to pull away and walk backwards, but he stepped forward not breaking the kiss until she was up against a wall. 

Cornered between a wall and Thomas, she put her hands up on his chest and pushed him away. "What is wrong with you?!" she demanded, something about her anger made her more attractive to him, so full of emotion. He stepped forward again, and was about to kiss her once again when she slapped him. 

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" 

He stepped back and sat on the couch, the slap bringing him out of his stupor. "Thomas tell me what the hell is wrong with you, or leave now." 

Looking up at her, he began to cry again. Elizabeth stood over him not knowing what to do. She didn't know whether to hug him or kick him out, but decided to sit next to him as she ran her hand up and down his back. 

"It's okay, I'm sorry I slapped you. You just scared me." 

He laid his head in her lap and wrapped his arms around her waist as she ran her hands through his hair. "What happened?" she asked motherly like, and slowly he began to tell her what happened. As he finished his story she began to laugh and he snapped up feeling hurt. 

"i would like to know what is so funny about my situation." he asked accusingly. 

"The fact that you would come over here and try to prove your wife right." she said in between deep breaths. "You two are perpetual stuck in a teenage love affair. This is shit teenagers do." She got up and walked to the kitchen to get a cup of water as Thomas stared at her angrily. 

"How dare you," Thomas said as he chased after her, and noticed now that she was wearing a tank top that she did have a scar on the right side of her back which started just slightly below her shoulder blade and ran down, but he couldn't see where it ended.

"How dare I what?" she said as she turned around staring at him with the same anger she wore on her face when she opened the door. "You came to my place, after having a fight with your wife, thinking what ? That I would sleep with you? Yes, how dare I be the adult in the situation and say no to a married man whose marriage is in turmoil. Tell me, Thomas, what would be the rational thing to do?" 

Not knowing what to say Elizabeth laughed again. "Oh my god, you two are really twisted. You need to figure out your relationship." she drank what was left of her water, "Look, I'm sorry that you are having a tough time, I get it. I really do. But what you were trying to do here, it's not the best way to get around it. As a friend I'm telling you, you need to sit in think, now if you excuse me, I have to get dressed." 

She walked away to her bedroom as Thomas went back to the living room and sat on the couch. He stared out the window that overlooked Hyde Park. 

"Okay, look, if you're wife thinks you're cheating on her with me, do you really think she'll ruin you?" Elizabeth said as she walked back out of her bedroom wearing a navy blue skater dress, with a pair of black pantyhose that had an intricate design swirling up and down her legs which ended in a pair of short black heels, and Thomas thought about trying to kiss her again. 

"Umm," he said shaking his head, "I don't know anymore, she just has changing so much. Are you going somewhere?" 

"Oh," Elizabeth slightly blushed, "Yeah, I'm making it up to Henry, this time he promised he'd take me somewhere with food." 

"Oh, I'm sorry," Thomas said as he quickly stood up from the couch. 

"No, hey, it's okay. Anyways, here." She said as she held something out to him. 

"What is this?" he said as he took it from her hand.

"Key to this place. I won't be here very often, I have to leave again in two days, if anything happens where you need somewhere to go again, you can crash here." 

He looked at her flabbergasted, "I can't." 

She laughed as she curled his fingers over the key. "Yes. You can, you obviously don't have many friends, you always end up here when you two fight, you might as well have a key and watch over this place while I'm gone." 

There was a knock on the door, "Oh that's probably Henry." She kissed him on the cheek. "Don't wait up," she giggled as she grabbed a purse off the coffee table, and with that she left. 

Thomas sat on the couch again and stared out over Hyde Park. 


	10. The Apartment Overlooking Hyde Park pt 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for continuing to read and enjoy my story.  
>  Please continue to let me know what you do or do not like.

Thomas awoke with to the sound of a door opening, and quickly realized he had fallen asleep on Elizabeth’s couch with the television playing re run of something he never heard of before. 

"Tom?" she asked as she walked over to the couch. 

"Yeah," he said as he stood up and turned the television off. 

"Have you been here all night?"  She asked as she sat on the love seat. He stretched and saw the night sky filled with stars.

"I guess so," he muttered as he consulted his watch which informed him was midnight.

"So you're date went well I take?" He asked realizing that she was just getting home at such a late hour.

"Ugh," she groaned kicking her heels off and beginning to pull her pantyhose off flashing a bit of thigh as she did. And Thomas had to pretend to have a vague interest in the night sky as he sat down in the couch. "Don't get me started."

 He didn't want to know if it did go well or not, he had just asked out of courtesy, but she continued.

"First he takes me to some place called Barbecoa. I actually enjoyed that. But after, he says he wants to take me dancing and I'm thinking. Sure. I love to dance, let's dance. He takes me to a place called club aquarium, where get this they have swimming pools and jaquzzi. And I was like 'Aren't we here to dance?' And he has the nerve to get annoyed with me!" Her voice began to raise in anger.

"He's all 'fine let's dance.' And after dancing for a while, he began to get a little hands-y, and started to suggest that we head to the jacuzzi. I told him again I didn't want to and he he got mad, left me there. Lost him in the damn crowd."

Thomas felt rage boil within him as she told the story but then became worried "Wait, how did you get home?"

Elizabeth held up her smart phone as she stared up at the ceiling. "Some cab app that Jamie had convinced me to download once upon a visit. I'm going to take a bath." She sighed as she stood up.

"Well I'm happy that you're safe." Thomas said as he stood up as well "I should head home."

"Its midnight." Elizabeth simply said as she walked towards the hallway, "You can stay if you want. But if you feel okay to drive go ahead."

Tiredness ached through his bones, and he replayed his argument with his wife. Would she really ruin him over something as simple as spending a night with a friend? 

As he pondered his next move, Elizabeth had already walked away and he could hear the water running in bathroom. Would his business really crumble?

No.

Jessica loved her status in society, if she was to ruin him, it would ruin her as well. Everyone would associate her with whatever rumor she would make up about him. All those parties, and social gatherings that she loved to much, would vaporize in a blink of an eye.

That thought made him chuckle for a moment. 

He began to feel his eyelids get heavy, and walked down the hallway to the bedroom. Opening the closet door he pulled out the body pillow and the neon blanket that he used the night before.

Walked over to the side of the bed he had slept on, placed the pillow in the center of the bed, and curled up under the neon blue blanket and let sleep overtake him as he smiled at the thought of Jessica not being invited to any type of social event. 

He cared way too long for whatever anyone else had thought, and right now, he was beginning to learn how to let go. 

In two days time, Thomas had found himself practically moved into Elizabeth's place. She had emptied out some dresser drawers and space in the closet to fit his things in. At first he thought he'd find it awkward, but he was always at the office and she was always out. The only times they'd see each other was at night and in the mornings. 

Thomas found it freeing that he didn't come to an empty home, and not being haunted by questions of where was his wife while walking in a huge empty home. 

Elizabeth left a day earlier than expected, told him that something important had come up and she had to leave for home right away. 

He had offered to drive her to the airport, but she said that she wouldn't take it. 

"I hate saying good bye to people. I hate when people drive me to the airport." she said as she put on her coat and then her backpack. "It's okay, I already have a cab waiting downstairs" she hugged him as she walked down the hallway to the elevator. 

He refused to close the door until she walked into the elevator and waved back at him. "See you soon." she said as the doors closed.

Thomas was sitting on the couch an hour later as he reviewed some proposals for an upcoming meeting, when there was a knock on the door. He ignored it, someone probably knocked on the wrong door, he told himself. 

But there it was again, another knock. He hadn't ordered anything,and was  becoming annoyed with the knocking, he finally decided to see who this persistent knocker was. 

Opening the door, there stood Jessica. 


	11. Loneliness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for your continued support and feedback.  
> Please let me know what you like, don't like  
> <3

He pushed her against a wall, "Elizabeth," he muttered against the skin of her neck as he nibbled on it.

"Yes, Tom." She moaned back as he began to pull the hem of her dress up as his nails gently scratched her thighs, causing her skin to goose bump at his touch and her back to arch towards him. 

"You want this as much as I do, don't you." he said as he kissed her, she moaned again as she felt his lips on hers, the tiny stubble beginning to make its way onto the surface of his skin scratching hers.

His hands began to reach up and undue to zipper on the right side, casually grazing his hand against her breast as he did so, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. 

He was about to kiss her again, when the ringing of her phone snapped her awake.

She sat breathing heavily and covered in sweat, looking around she saw that she was in her bedroom, in her childhood home, in upstate New York. She swallowed hard as she regained her normal breathing. "Damn it, a married man Elizabeth. What's wrong with you." she said as she reached for her cellphone.

Picking it up the caller id let her know it was Jason calling. Turning off the ringer, she placed it back on the night stand. She was in no mood to talk to anyone, let alone her ex. 

She had been back home for a month now, and had spoken to no one. Again.

Making herself a cup of hot chocolate in the kitchen downstairs, she returned upstairs, grabbed her phone off her dresser, and walked down the hallway to her parents room.

Lingering slightly she walked past the bed, across the room to the balcony.  Elizabeth sat there overlooking the foliage that was her backyard, as she sipped on a mug of warm cocoa. "Hey guys," she said out into the air, "I know I've been avoiding coming home, I just can't bare to be here alone." 

She looked back into the bedroom, where her parents slept. Walking over to it, she sat on the edge of it, "I know I should come home more often, and tell you stories of how great life has been, but truth is, life is hard. You both know that though." she sighed.

"I still don't know why I talk to you if you're not here anymore. I think I feel like I disappointed you. I mean after all I am responsible for your deaths."

Just than her cell phone rang again. 

Fishing through her pockets, she spilled some hot chocolate on the bed, "God dammit!" she muttered as she pulled out her cellphone, it was Jaime. 

"Liz?" 

"Hey, Jamesy, How's things going?" 

"Liz, why did you go back home again? You told me you sold the house. I thought that you told me, you sold it. You promised me that we were moving past this." 

"Hey, I've been fine, thanks for asking. How's Simon? When's the wedding?" Elizabeth said sweetly ignoring everything her friend had just said. 

"Liz, please," her friend sounded pleading now. "I knew you had left town, but you told me it was another assignment, Spain, this time you said. So why is it, that my boss hands me a key to your place, and tells me that you went home to New York, and that he can't watch over your place? I am very confused Liz."

Thomas had returned the key to her place? Her heart dropped, why did it hurt her so?  ** _HE'S MARRIED !_  **Of course he returned the key, his wife and him probably made up and decided to go back home. 

"I'm your best friend," Jaime continues, sounding wounded, "and you've been keeping me out. Come back to London." 

Tears were beginning to form in eyes as she listened to her friend. 

"Jaime, I  _am_  selling the house, that's why I'm here, potential buyers, and I did got to Spain, okay." 

Silence.  

"Christmas." 

"What?" 

"Be back for Christmas, Liz. It's time you finally celebrated one. Come back, and celebrate Christmas with Simon and me, and I'll forgive you." 

Silence. 

"Liz?" 

"You know I don't do-"

"I don't give a crap. Liz, I love you. You're my best friend, and we need to do this together. I am helping you move forward, okay. Now come back for Christmas or you'll lose the only friend you have, do you really think that this is what you're parents wanted? You shutting yourself out? You travel to keep from being home, and you refuse to know anyone for longer than a couple of days. Liz, you haven't celebrated any holiday for 10 years. It's time." 

Elizabeth looked out the balcony window, to her parents bed and down to her feet as tears began to stream down her cheeks and sniffled. 

"Look Liz, I understand how hard this is, I'll help you sell the house okay. But don't hole yourself up alone, come back and be with people who love you. I didn't mean to sound so harsh. You also need to explain to me why my boss has a key to your apartment okay." 

Elizabeth let a laugh out and a flash of Thomas came back to mind, she quickly changed to subject, "Well first you need to tell me when you and Simon are getting married, and than I'll tell you." 

Jaime laughed, "Well, talking about getting married, we decided to do it as soon as possible. Come back and celebrate Christmas and I'll tell you everything." 

Elizabeth sighed, she was backed into a corner, "Fine, I'll celebrate Christmas. This one time!" she said to her friend. "Can't let people know that I'm festive now can I." 

Jaime laughed, "Well there's lots to be festive about now Liz. Wait till you come back."

"Oh! Now whose keeping who out." Her friend laughed.

"Just get your ass back here." 

"Okay, give me three days to finish things up here."

"Promise?" 

"Promise." 

"Okay. See you in a couple of days." With that the friends hung up, Elizabeth let out a deep sigh as she walked back out onto the balcony. 

The sky was a clear blue, and she found herself thinking about how it matched Thomas's eyes. Realizing what she was thinking, she quickly retreated back into the house. "A married man Elizabeth. Stop it." 

Not wanting to waste any time she began to pack, and she began to think about Thomas again.  _ **STOP IT!**_  She forced herself,  ** _You're infatuated with a married man, think about something else._**

**_Well if Thomas and his wife could work out their differences, why can't Jason and I._ **

Sighing, she picked up her cellphone, she knew why they couldn't work out their differences, but right now she was alone.

Loneliness. 

The loneliness was the only reason they were together for so long. 

The line rang for what felt forever when she heard his voice, she hung up.

"One thing at a time," she said as she turned her cellphone off. "Lets start with Christmas, then after I'll talk to Jason. And why am I still talking to myself?" 

She let herself plop on her bed face first, "I'm losing it." After convincing herself that she was not crazy, she reached under her bed for her laptop to order her ticket. 

Opening up the computer the first thing that opened was the media files she was reviewing, Photos from her recent shoot in Spain. As she scrolled through them, she came across the older one from the Trafalgar Square event. And she saw that most of them comprised of photos of Thomas. Smiling, laughing, dancing with other people there at the event.  She hadn't realized that she took so many pictures of him.

Looking at these photos made her smile, and she quickly closed the folder, seeing what was happening. 

Refusing to accept the emotions that were going through her, she ignored them as she pulled up the internet and began to plan her trip back to London. Which only made her think about him more. 

_**You have to stop this! He's married.** _

Elizabeth quickly snapped her phone up and turned it on. She speed dialed his number, "Hey Jay, sorry. My phone fell out of my hand," she lied. "Do you want to maybe have lunch?" 

Jaime was right, she had to move on. In more ways than one.


	12. T'was the Week before Christmas

"No Jessica, that's my final decision." Thomas said as he walked away from the bedroom, he had come home during lunch to see his wife, but it had quickly gone wrong. 

"How dare you!" 

"How dare I?" he turned around to look at her as he vented, "Jessica, the only reason you throw the Christmas party is to drink with your friends. I am telling you, now that you are pregnant, and to please reconsider this. Let's celebrate Christmas the two of us. We're going to be a family soon, why not enjoy time with each other." 

It had been almost two months since Jessica showed up at Elizabeth's apartment, and told him that she was pregnant. After talking things over he returned home to prepare to become a family. For two weeks life at home had been pleasant. Full of love, and planning, but now Jessica brought up hosting her annual Christmas party, which was only a week away. A party which he always hated doing. 

"Really Thomas? That's all you have to say? I want a party. And we're going to have it." 

Thomas turned around in anger and left began to descend the stairs. "Where the hell are you going?" she yelled as she chased after him. 

"Back to work." he simply said as slammed the front door behind him.  In reality, he had wished he never given up the key to Elizabeth's flat, at least he'd have somewhere to just breathe. Elizabeth.

It had been a couple of days since she had appeared in his thoughts, but she was never far a way to him. In the office a co-worker was delivered a bouquet of flowers as a birthday gift, which contained jasmine. When no one was looking he picked one and took it back to his office. Twirled it all day in his fingers as he occasionally smelt it. It's petals, soft like her skin. As her lips, he caught himself and threw it away.

He was a married man, and soon to be father, he had no time to be thinking about other woman. 

Except one. 

\--

Elizabeth stood in the lobby of the building in which Jaime worked. She had all but admitted how she felt about Thomas to herself, and thought it best to wait for her friend downstairs on the first floor, where she thought would guarantee her no contact with the blue eyed man. 

Her phone vibrated, it was a message from Jamie.

**_on my way down_  **

She walked back to the elevators in time to hear one of them ding, "Finally," she said as Jaime walked out. "I'm starving!" 

Jaime laughed as she walked out and looped her arm around one of Elizabeth's. "Lets go." They began to giggle as they walked out, when Elizabeth saw him, Thomas. He was walking into the building, and seemed angry.

 _Maybe he won't see us._ Elizabeth hoped as she began to pick up the pace, when Jaime called out to her employer, and let out a silent groan. 

"Jaime. Elizabeth." he said as he walked over. "Didn't know you were back in town. Where are you two lovely ladies headed?" Flashing that grin.

 _Damn that grin._ _**  
**_

"That one cafe, The Table" Jaime smiled. Before Elizabeth could say anything, Jaime spoke again, "You're welcome to join us."

"That would be lovely." he smiled as he held the down open for the two friends. 

\--

Sitting in the cafe, Jaime ordered a salad, while Elizabeth ordered the bacon burger. Thomas chuckled to himself, and feeling hungry himself, he ordered the same thing. 

"Now come on, spill. Why did I have to come back so soon." Elizabeth said as she took a drink of her water. 

Thomas sat up, not knowing that an announcement was happening at this lunch. "Well," Jaime started as she sat up with a smile on her face. "Simon wanted to be the one to tell you, but I couldn't help it." 

"Out with it!" Elizabeth said poking her friend with her spoon. "I've waited too long." 

Jaime looked at Elizabeth and than at Thomas, "We're getting married in February, because I'm pregnant." 

Thomas reached over and hugged her, "Congratulations," he said as he held her close. 

Letting her go, they both looked at Elizabeth who just stared at them, her hands on her mouth, and tears in her eyes. 

"Say something," Jaime said, "You are after all the one Simon chose as godmother." 

"Oh my god!" Elizabeth finally exclaimed as she stood up and danced in a small circle drawing the attention of everyone in the cafe, "I'm going to be an auntie and a godmother!" she walked over Jaime and hugged her tightly as she danced her in a circle. 

"Here," Elizabeth said letting go of Jaime and walking to the nearest waiter, "EVERYONE'S LUNCH IS ON ME! I'M GOING TO BE AN AUNTIE!" she said handing him a credit card. 

Both Thomas and Jaime couldn't help but laugh as Elizabeth hugged the waiter and then proceeded to kiss him. After the initial jubilation of the announcement, Elizabeth sat back down and smiled widely at the two.

"I also have an announcement."

Jaime laughed, "Well out with it."

Elizabeth held her hand up and on it was the diamond ring that Thomas had seen before. Hanging off the side of her dresser mirror.

"I said yes."

 --

Thomas could still hear the yelling in his head an hour later as he sat at his desk.

After the announcement Jaime had shown a side that Thomas had never seen before. She was angry, fustrated and full of rage. Elizabeth had walked out at Jaime's disapproval and Thomas and Jaime had walked back in silence to the office. 

He wanted to ask why Jaime disapproved of Elizabeth marrying Jason, but did not dare to ask. He, himself was still in shock. 

He remembered the talk they had in her apartment the night of her birthday regarding her relationship with Jason. He thought that she was moving on, or at least seeing other people. She had gone out with that one guy, Harry? Hal? Whatever he's name was, it didn't matter. 

At the end of the day Jaime walked into the office, "I'm sorry about my outburst at lunch, I'm just a bit hormonal, and when I feel an emotion, it seems to be super ampified. I just," she shook her head as she looked down at her feet. "I was just a bit angry and hurt."

"I understand," he said as Jaime began to take her leave. "But can I ask, why?" 

Jaime smiled as she turned around and looked at him, "Because lonliness, is not love." 

 

 


	13. T'was the Week Before Christmas Part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all again for your wonderful feedback! <3  
> Please continue to let me know what you do and don't like, it makes me a better writer !

Thomas was the only one left in the office, staring out the window to the streets, he watched the daylight be chased away by darkness, before deciding to finally head home. Nothing, but the sound of the cable slowly reeling down to land him to safety on the first floor, accompanied him the whole way.

As the doors opened he came face to face with a frantic Elizabeth, who was pushing the button trying to call an elevator up. "Is Jaime still here?" she asked. 

He simply shook his head, "Fuck." she said as she throw her purse against the wall. "I'm such a screw up." she said as she sank with her back against the wall, sitting next to her purse and buried her head in her hands. "I thought she'd be happy for me. I wasn't thinking about how she would really feel." she muttered. 

Thomas looked at her in distress and couldn't help but feel somehow burdened to help her. She had after all listened to him, it was time he returned the favor, and he extended his hand out to her. 

"Let me give you a ride home." 

Elizabeth stood straight up, with her purse in her left hand, "No." she said with such conviction. "I'll walk home, I need some fresh air anyways. I have to think about things." 

"It's too cold out, please. Let me give you a ride." he began to walk after as she opened the door a blast of icy December air, blasted both of them head on. 

"Crap." she said as she turned around quickly bumping into him, causing her purse to fall yet again. "Sorry." she muttered as she pushed hair out of her face.

"It's quite alright." he picked up her purse and placed it under his arm with his briefcase. "Please, let me give you a ride home." 

Elizabeth looked back out and then back at Thomas. She simply nodded in defeat, "Lead the way mister boss man." With a grin on his face he offered his arm to her. "Really? The gentlemen thing." she scoffed as she linked her arm in his. 

Once in the car she put her hands up to the dashboard to warm her hands, "Thanks." she said as they began to pull out of the building garage and down the street. 

After a couple of minutes of silence Elizabeth turned on the radio and began to sing along with anything that would play. A smile began to spread across his face as he sneaked glances over to see her bobbing in her seat as she sang along.  The carelessness, the happiness on her face, made him smile.

She looked over and saw the grin on his face, and turned bright red. "Oh my god," she said, "I'm sorry for that. I know I have a horrible voice." 

Thomas laughed, "It's quite alright, it's not that bad. And plus I have heard it before."  he laughed. 

Elizabeth couldn't help but laugh as well and even reached over and playfully shoved him on the shoulder. "Shut up." 

"I'm just happy you're feeling better." he simply said as they began to pull up the her complex. 

"Slightly, thanks. I still have to talk to Jaime sometime soon. But it is nice to laugh now." 

As they began to pull up to her apartment complex he couldn't help but ask, "Why does Jaime not approve of your engagement you don't mind me asking." 

Elizabeth looked at him with a seriousness he hadn't seen before on her face. "I've made some bad decision in the past when it comes to marriage, and I think Jaime thinks I'm just making the same decisions again." 

"Again?" Thomas couldn't help but ask as he cut off the engine. 

"Yeah, I'm a divorcee. Jaime hadn't told you?" 

"I thought you said you hadn't been married." 

Elizabeth grinned, "No, you asked if I was married, and no I'm not. You never asked if I had been married, and yes I have been twice." 

Thomas couldn't help but stare with mouth a gap at what he just learned. 

"Don't look so surprised Thomas," she said as she began to undo her seat belt. "I am a hopeless romantic, which means I tend to believe things that people of the opposite sex promise me." 

"Is that why you're marrying Jason?" Thomas's mouth blurted faster than his head could process what he was saying. 

Letting a sigh out she stared ahead out of the windshield staring at Hyde Park, "No, I'm almost 30 and everyone around me has their life on track except me. I want what Simon and Jaime have, I want what my parents had. And I keep running from it. It's time I stop running from it and go towards it, but I think Jaime doesn't understand why I'm doing this. That's why I was trying to catch her before she went home. But I'll just talk to her tomorrow. " 

She began to exit the car "Thanks again for the ride, oh, and congratulations."

Seeing the confused look on his face Elizabeth let out a laugh and said "On your baby. Jaime told me you're about to be a dad. Congratulations."

"Oh. Thank you." He muttered. "Hey is it okay if i come up?" He quickly blurted again, he wanted to be anywhere but home at the moment. Elizabeth took a deep breath in before letting it and out and saying.

"I usually don't change peoples minds once they've made it up, but not tonight Thomas. You have a pregnant wife waiting for you at home and I, a fiancee. I think it's best we both go our separate ways this time friend."

She flashed him a quick smile which he couldnt help but give back. As she stood up, about to close the car door he leaned over.

"Elizabeth."

"Yeah?" She bent over to look in through the car doorway.

"We always throw a Christmas party that the entire office comes to, if you can, come. You know you and your fiancee. Its always a big party, the more the merrier." Elizabeth just smiled and nodded.

"I'll see what i can do."

She closed the door and crossed the street with her arms wrapped around herself keeping warm from the cold. He sat there until he watched her disappear into the complex turning the key in the ignition he began to drive home to help his swife plan their annual christmas party.


	14. Christmas

He was in a sea of faces, which he recognized, but did not know. The same people that would always come to his home, year after year. And Thomas would always gravitate towards his co workers. After all their years together, he still felt as if though these people were Jessica's friends not his. Sure they'd see each other at social gatherings, and would occasionally play couples tennis, but if he wasn't married to Jessica, none of these people would ever give him the time of day. 

All night he had fidgeted with his drink, nervous. Anxiously awaiting to see Elizabeth again. He never felt more, well himself, than when he was Elizabeth, he felt as if though there were no expectations of him to be met. No one to impress, and the fact that she considered him a friend made him a great deal happier. 

It was around ten in the evening when he looked up from a conversation he was holding with a friend of Jessica's, when he saw Jaime walk through the door with Simon. Quickly excusing himself, he made his way through the  crowded living room to the front door. On his way, he was intercepted by his friend Benedict, who had a rather grave look on his face. "Thomas, I need to speak to you. In private." 

"Can it wait?" he said as he spotted Elizabeth walking in after Simon and Jaime.  Her hair was pulled up in slick ponytail and she had cut the front of  her hair to have bangs that swooped to the side and were tucked behind her left ear. She was wearing the same emerald lace dress that she was wearing when she went on a date with Henry, those months ago when he first met her. 

This time, she paired it with gold hoop earrings, and green flats. He couldn't help but stare as she turned and smiled at someone else at the party, she was wearing the brightest red lipstick that he had ever seen, and was holding two gift wrapped boxes in her hands as she walked behind Jaime and Simon. But he couldn't help but stare at those red lips, that he had kissed before, which framed her smile.

"No, it really can't." Benedict hissed, "Please Thomas. It's rather urgent." 

Thomas pulled his eyes away and looked at his friend Benedict. His face covered in worry and urgency. "Okay," Thomas said, "Let me just greet some friends first." 

Benedict followed him closely as he made his way over to the trio. "Oh my God, Is it that Lizzie?" Benedict said as he made his way past Thomas, "Elizabeth Reynolds. Is that you?" 

Elizabeth turned around to look at the voice that was calling her, and gasped. "Benny!" she said "How have you been?" Thomas looked at both of them in confusion, "You two know each other?" 

Benedict laughed as they hugged, "Of course we do. Elizabeth here was the one that got me in magazines, when I first started interior designing." 

"And Benny here was one of the first ones to let me photograph their work. Gave me a chance when lots wouldn't." 

All the sudden Benedicts eyes went wide, "Wait, is this the girl whose place you vomited in?"

Elizabeth's eyes widened as she laughed, "You were the one who changed my carpet."  

They started laughing, "Jesus, no matter how big the world is, it just keeps getting smaller to me." she said as she hugged him again. "It's good to see you, is Sarah here?" 

"Yeah, yeah, she's here somewhere. God I should've known you would have a hideous bright colored room." 

"Hey! My room is not hideous! Oh, where are my manners," Elizabeth said as she walked over and hugged Thomas "Thanks for the invite,here." She gave him the two boxes in her arms. "The small one is for you the big one is for the misses." 

"Speak of the devil, Thomas, i really need talk to you in private now." Benedict said as he pulled his arm and pointed out towards the kitchen.  

Elizabeth smiled as she waved them off and went on to mingle with other people. Once through the doorway Benedict looked back at the party and looked around in the kitchen as if though he was spy about to divulge classsifed secrets, "Thomas, I heard Sarah and Jessica talking the other day. And I think it's best that it comes from me before you find out any other way, but Jessica is not pregnant." 

"What?" Thomas said, "Have you been drinking? Is this a practical joke?" 

"No, damn it, Thomas! Look, Jessica told Sarah that she's pretending because when she told her parents about her plans to leave you, they said they would cut her off. They don't want her to divorce you. I heard them talk about it, Jessica was even saying it would only be a matter of time until she did get pregnant so you wouldn't find out. But Thomas, she's not. Its all a ruse so you don't leave her and her parents don't cut her off." 

Staring at Benedict with confusion and bewilderment, his friend simply said "I'm sorry, but I had to tell you." before he disappeared back into the sea of faces. Leving him to stare into the party and saw his wife standing next to the Christmas tree as she giggled with some friends, and didn't know what to make of it. 

Was his friend lying? Telling the truth? But why lie to him? They had been friends for years, when both their careers were just starting off. Lost in thought he lost track of how long he was standing there, and decided he needed another drink. Quickly taking one from one of the server trays, he made his way toward the kitchen. Right now he wanted to be by himself, and left the gifts Elizabeth gave him on a counter in the kitchen.

Taking another glance out into the living room, all he saw was a sea of faces that he didn't care much for, and information that he didn't know how to process.

He needed some fresh air. 

Walking through the kitchen, past all the servers, to the back door that lead to his backyard, he finished his drink and left the empty glass on another counter.

Darkness had fallen and his yard was shrouded in darkness, except for a fountain that Jessica had insisted that they needed to have. The lights showed that there was someone sitting on the bench near the fountain, and Thomas began to make his way towards it. 

As he got closer he saw bright green and realized that it was Elizabeth. His heart pounded faster and his feet began to pick up the pace as he made his way to the fountin.

"Its rude to leave a party to enjoy the company of a fountain." He said as he stood near her. He looked down to see that she had removed her shoes and her engagement ring sat on the edge of the fountain. She let out a scoff with a slight hint of laughter, "It's also rude for a party's host to leave his own party." 

Thomas sat next to her, "Ah, but see, this is not my party, but my wives, so I believe it would be okay if I disappear once in a while. Don't you say?" 

Elizabeth just looked at him with a raised eyebrow and just shook her head. "I guess." She continued to stare at the ring. 

"Is everything alright?" 

She let out a sigh, "Yeah, just I don't do well in crowded places, espically when they're filled with people I don't know. Just had to be alone for a bit." 

Thomas looked at her, and couldn't help but love the way the small lighting from the fountain lighted her face.  He could see the burrow between her eyebrows, as she was lost in thought and couldn't help but smile again. Looking at the fountiain he saw that she was just staring at the engagment ring as it lit up with the lights from the fountain. 

"What is this? Are you getting cold feet already?" Thomas let out a chuckle as he leaned over and let his shoulder bump into hers playfully. She just let a deep sigh out. "Not cold feet, just thinking." 

"What about?"

She stood up and picked up the ring, "Everything. I don't want to stay home and just give up everything I worked for." She stood on the top of the brim of the fountain where her ring had been resting and stuck in her right foot into the water. 

"I don't want to just stay home and wait for him everyday, I have a life of my own, and he told me that basically I'd have to give up who I am for us to make this work. I just, it's, I don't know. I do want to have kids, but to just wait for him everyday until that happens, it just. It's a lot to think about." She said as she let her right foot sway back and forth in the water. "There are a lot of places I still haven't gone, lots of things I want to see, do. Maybe it is just cold feet." 

Thomas looked at her as she looked back and smiled, "They are all good points though. There is always lots to think about when someone gets married. But I think you already know about that." He said flashing back a smirk, which she laughed and splashed water towards him with her right foot, which casused her to lose her balance. 

"Crap!" she squealed as her foot slipped on the marble of the fountian, causing Thomas to quickly extend his right arm out and around her waist, while he used his left to balance her against him, and back down onto the floor. 

"Thanks." Elizabeth laughed as she pushed her bangs out of her face, still in his arms. Now, standing in front of him so close, he realzied that she was only 3 to maybe 4 inches shorted than him, and that their bodies were pressed close together yet again. And the smell of jasmine began to intoxicate him again.

With his face so close to hers, he could feel her breathing racing along with her heart from the fear of falling. Her cheeks flushed with color and warmth, she stopped laughing and looked straight back into his eyes. "Umm, thanks for catching me." she whispered. 

Thomas leaned forward and she didn't flinch or move. 

Rather her face began to inch closer to his as well. 

He removed his left hand from her arm and raised it to her cheek as he pulled her in and kissed her, as she put her hands on his waist and pulled into him as well. 


	15. Here Comes The New Year

It was six days after Christmas when Thomas decided to take action regarding Benedict’s revelation. It was also two days since he last spoken with Elizabeth after she ran out of the Christmas party after their kiss. He had tried calling and texting her, but she didn’t respond, sometimes he thought about showing up at her flat, but always decided against it. She needed her space. That much was clear. 

He was after all, as she had said before she ran away, “A married man, and an expecting father. A man she had no business kissing.” 

"Hello dear." Jessica’s voice snapped him out of his thoughts, she walked over and kissed his cheek. 

"Good morning." he simply said as he sipped on his tea. Pouring herself a cup she sat at the table and then Thomas blurted. 

"I made an appointment today, with Dr. Berry." She looked at him with arched eyebrows not knowing who this Dr. Berry was. 

"He was recommended to me by Jaime, my secretary. She says that he’s  nice, sweet and the best obstetrician in London." 

She almost spilled her drink, “Oh, Thomas I don’t know if I should. You know my parents know a great doctor that we can go to. Let me set something up.” 

"Well, this appointment is already set up. Today is my day off, and I would like to have an ultrasound to see our little one." he said as he reached over and caressed her hand. 

Jessica looked up at Thomas, and quickly stood up. “We need to talk.” 

—

Elizabeth looked over Hyde Park from her balcony.  Thoughts about how this unusual clear sky reminded her about a certain azure eyed man were running rampant. She was kicking herself for running out of the party. She wanted to pull him close and ask him to take her to an empty room where they can play out her fantasies, that seemed to increase with each passing day.

Jaime was in the kitchen making tea, when she yelled over. “Do you want sugar in yours?"

"What do you think?" She said as she stood up and walked to the kitchen.

Jaime laughed as she put spoonfuls of sugar into one of the saucers. The friends sat at the kitchen table as they discussed their coming trip to New York. Jaime had convinced her to finally sell her family home in New York and to move permanently to London with her and Simon.

Elizabeth was hesitant at first, but realized that Jaime was right. Especially with the little one on the way and her marrying Jason, a move to London would be the best.

They were sitting at the table planning what time in January to leave when there was a knock at the door.

"I'm not expecting anyone." Elizabeth said as she looked at Jaime with raised eyebrows. 

"Neither am I," Jaime said as she looked at her watch, "Simon doesn't get off from work for another hour." 

Both of them made their way to the door as the person at the door knocked again. 

Jaime reached the door first and opened it to find a woman, obviously pregnant woman, standing at the door with a toddler on her hip. 

"I'm sorry I think you got the wrong flat." Jaime said. 

"No wait." the woman said as Jaime began to close the door. "My name is Rose, I'm looking for Elizabeth." 

"How do you know my name?" Elizabeth said as she took a step towards her, and looked at the toddler, eyes so familiar yet so strange, and back at the woman. "No." she whispered as she stepped back into her apartment again, knowing the answer well. 


	16. There once was a girl named Elizabeth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for continuing to read my story. I am lagging on these updates because there is little left til my story comes to an end and I guess I just want to delay that as much as possible. 
> 
> Please continue to let me know what you do or do not like, I thrive off of it! LOL  
> <3

When Thomas showed up at Elizabeth's flat with another bouquet of flowers, or jasmine to be specific. 

He wanted to tell her that Jessica and himself were getting divorced. After she confessed to her lie, he told her he wanted a divorce. He didn't know what she would say, but he didn't care. He couldn't stop thinking about her. He needed to see her again.

As he reached the door to her flat, he could see Jaime standing outside the door with her hands over her head. "Jaime?" he asked. 

She looked up from the floor to give him a confused looked, "Thomas? What are you doing here?" she asked now looking at the bouquet of flowers in his hands. 

"I was just here to say thank you for the gifts she got us at Christmas." He quickly muttered coming up with the best excuse he could muster. 

"Oh." Jaime said quirky with a smile on her face now, "Um. Right now is a bad time."

Crash. Something inside the flat made out of glass crashed, and then more shouting. Shouting from a man. 

"What is going on in there?" He asked concerned.

Jaime just shook her head as something else broke. "None of our concern."

"Jaime, don't be ridiculous." he said as he reached past her to open the door.

"NO!" Jaime said.

Inside, the living room was a mess things were turn over, vases and photo frames were broken on the floor. On one side of the living room was Elizabeth in a rage, on the other a man he never met. 

"You thought I wouldn't find out didn't you!" she screamed as she threw something else in his direction, "You fucking bastard." 

"Calm the fuck down, you're acting like a crazy bitch!" he shouted back as he swerved to a side to keep from the object from meeting his shins.

"Oy!" he shouted at Thomas, "Who the fuck is he?"

Elizabeth turned around to see Thomas standing there and let out a frustrated shout, "That Jaime's fucking boss. Jesus Jason!" 

"So, what the bloody hell is he doing bringing you flowers." he yelled again as he kicked shards of broken debris out of his way walking over to the center of the living room. 

"Don't fucking change the subject." she said grabbing the closet thing to her, the television remote and hitting him on one of his shoulders. 

"I'm sorry, I just came over to say thank you for the Christmas gifts that she gave my wife and I," he quickly offered realizing that he shouldn't have walked in. 

"Okay, well set them down and leave mate." Jason said as he turned around and faced Elizabeth again. "My girl and I have things to discuss." 

"I'm not your fucking girl," she said grabbing a pillow on the sofa, "And he can stay if he wants to fucking stay." 

"I don't think this is any of business." Thomas said as he began to make his way to the front door. 

"Oh, no!" Elizabeth said as she quickly made her way over and wrapped her arm around his shoulders and escorted him back to living room.   
"Please stay. See, we're just having fun here." She let out a forced laugh. "See, come on Jason lets tell him a great little story about a girl in love. Lets call her Elizabeth." 

"Elizabeth." Jason said sternly. 

"No, come on! I was the last idiot to know, so I might as well help people know it with me." She turned her attention back to Thomas. 

"So there was this girl Elizabeth, who met this boy, lets call him Jason. "

"Elizabeth." Jason said taking a step closer to her. 

"No! Let me finish." she threw another pillow at him. "So this girl and boy they fall in love, and he wants to marry her. But she doesn't think it's a great idea yet, because she doesn't know if that's what she wants. She doesn't want to disappoint him, like she has in previous marriages, which he knows about. So she asks for time. Time to know that that's what she really wants and he agrees. He tells her that their love is so strong that he will wait. So you know what this guy does." 

"Elizabeth, please." 

"No!" she shouted again this time holding back tears. She looked back at Thomas with tears in her eyes. "You know what this boy does." 

He felt his heart crack at the sight of her hurt, and simply shook his head. He wanted to hurt Jason for causing this pain, but knew better than to start a fight right here, right now. This was nor the time, nor place, nor his fight. 

"He goes out and gets drunk, finds some girl and sleeps with her. But he continues his life like nothing, he continues to tell Elizabeth that he loves her, and that he's still waiting. This other girl, she has his child, and he crawls back me, and has the nerve to ask me to marry him again. And get this, she's pregnant again with his second child!" She fell to the floor now, "Second child!" She sat with her legs crossed on the floor. 

"Elizabeth, it just happened. I don't love her. She was just something that kept my mind of off you. I thought you would never come back." 

"Please stop." she simply whispered. 

"Liz." he said as he bent over. 

"Don't touch me! Just go!" she said in between tears. 

Jason stayed where he was for a moment, before saying, "I'm sorry." and walking out of the apartment. Hearing his departure, she let herself cry loudly and curl into herself against the sofa. 

Thomas felt his heart shatter for her, as her body convulsed with sobs. He walked over and sat next to her, "I'm sorry." he whispered as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her against him and let her cry. "I'm so sorry." 

Elizabeth simply wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face into his chest as she cried herself to sleep. 


	17. New Year, New Start

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> God, I must sound like a broken record. But thank you all for continuing to support my story.  
> Continue to let me know what you do or do not like, as I do listen to you!! <3
> 
> This chapter was inspired by this gif  
> 

It had been a week since the mishap at Elizabeth's apartment.

A week since he laid her in her bad to sleep, and he cleaned her living room.

A week since he left Elizabeth asleep in her flat.

A week since he talked to her.  

A week since Jessica and himself had agreed to file for divorce.  

A new year was upon them all. 

He stood in his office, or what was soon to be his former office.

Everything laid in boxes, and despite the sadness and emptiness that filled the office, he felt happy.

At peace.

He was going to start the new year on a new page. On his terms, and it felt exciting.

Watching the sun began to make its descent he heard noise behind him.

"I didn't believe it when she told me." It was Elizabeth, she stared at the emptiness of his office, and then at him. "Jaime said that you were getting divorced and that you were closing the business." 

Thomas just nodded his head. "Closing it is part of the negotiations, her parents gave me that money to start it up, and now I have to pay it back with interest, which unfortunately means selling it to give them the money back. But the money we'll make from selling our home will help, we're splitting that down the middle." 

Tears began to glaze over her eyes, "I am so sorry. Was I the reason for it? I can explain to her, I slipped and was confused I didn't mean to kiss you that night. I am so sorry." 

Thomas walked across the room and held her close. "No, don't blame yourself for this. We were having problems long before you entered our lives. Hell, you helped us stay together a bit longer."

Elizabeth pulled away and held in her sadness. "What are you going to do now?" 

He shrugged as he looked around, "Take it a day at a time."

Elizabeth looked out the window and then looked back at him with a smile on her face as if a bright idea had hit her. "Come to New York with Simon, Jaime and me. There's someone there that I'd like you to meet." 

"Who?"

"Well, I can't say." she said coyly. "But it'll be worth your while." 

With arches eyebrows he looked at her apprehensively. "How will I know it'll be worth my while if you won't tell me who I am going to be meeting?" 

Elizabeth let out a small laugh. "Oh man. Come on, trust me, be spontaneous for a moment. I mean, do you have anything better to do?" 

Thomas laughed. "Okay. I'll go to New York with you guys." 

"Good," Elizabeth smiled, "Come on, take a break from this packing Boss Man. I'll treat you to lunch, and tell you about the next photoshoot I'm doing.  And all I can say is he's a redhead and a great singer." 

Thomas laughed as he picked his coat off of the table and followed her out of the empty office. 


	18. New York

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love each and everyone of you so much!  
> The ones who read, the ones who kudo, the ones who comment. I love you all.  
> Please continues to let me know what you like or dislike about my story  
> <3

Thomas awoke as the flight attendant spoke, "Chicken or beef?" 

He quickly had to orient himself, he was on a plane, next to him was Simon already eating. Across the aisle was Jaime still asleep and Elizabeth staring out the window taking photos with her camera when she thought no one was looking. 

He smiled up at the attendant, "Chicken, please." On his lap he had the Christmas gift that Elizabeth had given him. A moleskin notebook, which Elizabeth had to explain to him. "It's called Evernote, you write what you want in your notebook. Sketch. Words. Whatever, then you take a photo of it with your phone and it becomes a digital thing. You can save it and share it. Work on it some more. It's actually quite awesome. I was thinking about keeping it to myself for some time." she had laughed. 

Right now, he just wrote randomness, what he was feeling as the new year began. Random sketches of buildings he found interesting. He even began a design or two on a home. Something he hadn't done in a long time. When he started his business, Jessica and her parents had pressured him into building condos and apartment buildings, the "safe bets," they called them. 

After eating he looked over to find Elizabeth asleep on Jaime's shoulder. He couldn't help but smile as he began to sketch her asleep on Jaime. 

\---

Elizabeth's house was bigger than he expected. The land it was on was beautiful. Since it was late January a small blanket of white snow covered the roof and the foliage around it. It looked like Thomas Kinkade painting, and couldn't help but somehow feel home. 

Once inside Jaime ran upstairs with her luggage, having already been at Elizabeth's home she yelled back, "I call dibbs on your room." to Elizabeth. 

"Fine." Elizabeth said laughing as Simon ran after her, calling her to be more careful now that she had a bump on her abdomen to keep safe.

Thomas followed Elizabeth as she walked into the living room and sat on the couch. It was placed a few feet from the front of the fireplace, and above it on the wall hung a television screen. She reached over and turned it on. 

Thomas sat next to her and she laid her head on his shoulder. After some time, he realized she fell asleep. 

He couldn't help but smile again as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer. She stirred slightly but burrowed her face closer to her neck. He could feel her breath on the base of his neck, and her lips were so close to the skin on the base of his neck. 

Carefully, he removed the control from her hand and began to surf for channels, when he accidently pressed another button, the dvd player began to play. 

It was a home video of Elizabeth and her parents. She was about eight, her mother was standing next to her, they were standing in what seemed to be the backyard of the house. They were wearing smoaks and covered in paint, and both of them had easels in front of them. 

"What are you guys painting?" a male voice asked behind the camera, which Thomas had to assume was her father. 

An six year Elizabeth with two missing front teeth smiled at the camera, "T-wees." she replied. The camera now stood behind them as he showed the camera that Elizabeth's mother had a beautiful painting of the foliage, while Elizabeth's canvas had a brown line up the center of it and green clouds. Thomas smiled and held in a giggle as he watched her continue to paint around it.  

He began to fast forward through it, into the teen years. He saw a young Jaime and Elizabeth in the same living room that he was sitting in as they danced to some of their favorite music, choreographing what seemed to be a music video that was playing on the television behind them, which happened to be the one he was now watching. 

A giggle arose from behind him, it was Jaime and Simon. 

"I didn't know you could dance like that." Simon whispered as he wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her neck. 

"Well not anymore." she whispered back, rubbing her growing belly. 

"I don't know how to turn this off." Thomas said in a hush voice as he lifted the remote and handed it to Jaime, which Jaime took and turned off the television. 

Simon picked up the crocheted blanket on the loveseat and covered Elizabeth with it.  

"I'm going to make something for dinner, any requests?" Jaime asked as she out stretched herself like a cat. 

Simon shook his head, "Whatever you want." and headed out towards the backyard. 

Before Jaime could retreat to the kitchen he reached out to her with his free hand. 

"Hey," he whispered. 

She nodded towards him. 

"What happened to them?" he asked meaning her parents. "She never talks about them."

Jaime let out a deep sigh as she sat on the love seat to the side of where he was and looked over at Elizabeth who was still fast asleep on his shoulder. 

"Okay," she started as she settled comfortable against the couch. "She was eighteen when it happened..."


	19. Back To December

"I spent the last fourteen years of my life in school Mom, one year won't make a difference. Especially when I don't know what I want to do with my life!" Elizabeth said over breakfast. 

It was a week after her high school graduation, and she was just now telling her parents that she planned post pone starting college for a year. 

Her mother looked at her sternly, "Liz, you know you have to go to college, you already got accepted. What are you going to do for a year?" 

"Get a job, figure out what I want to study. Dad, back me up here." 

Her father looked over his newspaper, "Oh, no. Just because I am an educator of young minds does not mean that I am going to defend them." 

"But Dad, you're the one who told me about that study." 

"Study?" her mother raised her eyebrows and looked over at her husband. Who now froze as he turned the page. "Now what on Earth is she talking about Eric." 

He cleared his throat as he set his newspaper now, "Well sweetie. Love of my life. I merely told Elizabeth here, that she should figure out what she wanted her major to be, as a study showed that when someone does not know what they want to major in they tend to flunk, or drop out." 

"Eric!" she said not quite angry but not happy. 

"I'm sorry Audrey, how was I supposed to know that she was going to take the study to heart." her father said with a laugh. 

Elizabeth all the meanwhile just continued to eat her cereal as they continued the conversation back and forth. After a couple of minutes Audrey let a sigh out, "Fine." 

Elizabeth sat up with a smile on her face. "But on two conditions, you will help me with the art gallery and you will take at least one online class!" 

"Thank you thank you thank you thank you!" Elizabeth chanted over and over as she kissed her mother and than her father. "I'm going to go get ready." 

That summer Elizabeth helped her mother with her art gallery and her mother showed her how art was everywhere, which began her love for photography. 

At night she worked on her online English class, which with an English professor as a father was a breeze for her. Leaving her time for her new love of photography. 

Three months later, for her eighteenth birthday, her parents gifted her a high end digital camera. Her parents always joked about how it was glued to her hand, she never seemed to put it down. 

It was a week before Christmas when she awoke to the sound of Dean Martin playing throughout the house. She walked downstairs to see her parents dancing around the living room.

She stood in the doorway with a smile on her face, the look of love that they gave each other made her happy.

Her father spotted her and held his hand out to her to join them as he continued to sing along. "My head keeps spinning, I go to sleep, and keep grinning, if this is just the beginning, my life is going to be beautiful." 

She and her mother joined in for the last chorus, "Oh, tell me quick, ain't that a kick in the head." As he spun both of them from either arm. 

"Get dressed, we're going to get a Christmas tree." her mother giggled as her father spun her again. 

In the car on their way to the tree lot they sang along to the songs on the radio. Snow blanketed the roads and trees and Elizabeth  couldn't help but roll the window down and take pictures as they whizzed by. 

Her mother laughed, "Please close the window it's freezing." 

"One more!" Elizabeth said as she snapped another photograph and closed the window. 

"Now, where is that damn exit." Eric muttered, not being able to see anything in the fresh snow that had blanketed everything on the road. 

"I think it's another mile up the road." Audrey replied, not quite sure herself. 

Elizabeth had dropped her camera, and had undone her seat belt to reach over and grab it. 

"Elizabeth, put your seat b-" Audrey had began to say to her, when her words would struck short by the sound of crushing metal. 

Elizabeth had blacked out as her body flew forward and her head violently hit the car door. 

\--

"A drunk driver slammed onto the side of the their car. Pinned it against a tree. Police reported that the car split in half. Her mom died on impact, the car had hit her side of the car first." Jaime continued as she stood up and began to pace the living room. 

"Her dad on the other hand was paralyzed from the waist down. And Elizabeth was the lucky one, she didn't have her seat belt out and was ejected out when the car split in two. Got away with a concussion and liver damage. A piece of metal got lodged into her back." 

Unconsciously, with the arm her had curled around her shoulders, Thomas began to run his fingers on her back where the scar he had caught glimpses of, resided.  

"She had to take care of her father after that accident. I visited several times. Elizabeth would always cry. Not because she had to take care of her father, but because he wouldn't look at her." 

Looking down at her in his arms he couldn't help but feel his heart break for her. 

"He would cry and cry. Avoided looking at her because she reminded him of her mother. A couple months after the accident he passed away, Elizabeth said it was because of a broken heart. After that Elizabeth dove into college and rarely stayed home. And then the loneliness began." Jaime sighed as she rubbed her belly. 

"I think she feared dying alone, or maybe she feared not finding someone that she loved as much as her parents loved each other, or maybe the guilt she inflicted on herself. But there hasn't been a moment since her father has passed away that she wasn't dating someone. Her first marriage was at 19, some guy she met at college, and the second one I rather liked. He, she married at 24, but as always it didn't last." 

Jaime looked at Elizabeth with sadness in her eyes, "I just hope that she figures out what she wants before she hurts someone else again. Or worse, herself." 

"Guilt?"

Elizabeth stirred under his arms, and they both held their breaths awaiting to see if she'd awaken or continue her slumber. Elizabeth muttered something and continued to sleep. 

"She blames herself for their deaths. Says that if she had just gone off to college, that they would have been on their way to see her there. Not out getting a tree." 

Thomas just nodded slightly as he intook this information. Jaime nodded at him and took her leave to make dinner. 

He let himself sink a little further into the sofa into a comfortable position, which casued Elizabeth to let her face drop from his neck to his chest. Letting his head rest on the back of the couch he let the rise and fall of her breathing on his chest lull him to sleep. 


	20. New Beginnings in New York

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone so much for continued to support and reading my story.   
> Let me know what you like or dislike.   
> I love you all! <3

A couple days after arriving and packing, Thomas was being driven by Elizabeth into the center of New York City while Simon and Jaime shopped for baby items that they would be shipping back home. 

"I just wish you would let me know who I'm meeting and why I have to bring my notebook with me." Thomas said again and they whizzed by various buildings. 

"It'll be a pleasant surprise." she beamed at him with a huge smile. "This moment that is about to happen is what friends are for." 

He just shook his head as he relaxed and let himself take in the scenery. After an hour she parked into an office building, the elevator they rode up in was glass and overlooked New York as they ascended up to the top of the building. 

When the doors opened they were greeted by a perky blonde that had a Bluetooth headset attached to her right ear and a permanent smile. "LIZZIE! DARLING!" she said as she wrapped her arms around Elizabeth. "How have you been?" 

"Good," she replied as they followed her down the hallway. "And you?" 

"Good, busy, busy busy." the blonde chuckled as she led them down a hallway, "He's been waiting for you." she simply said as she left them in front of a wooden door that led to a huge office that Thomas couldn't help but be wowed at. 

Ceiling to floor windows provided a scenic overlook over New York and vast light that no lamps were needed in it.  

"No. No. I told you, marble, and I won't settle for less." A man standing near one of the windows said as he turned around. He looked around Elizabeth's age, and smiled at them signaling for them to sit on the couch in the center of the room. 

Elizabeth smiled and waved back as she made her way to the window. 

"Look, I have some clients here, okay. I am telling you that floor plan calls for marble so please fix it." he pressed a button on his cellphone ending the call as he flung his arms around Elizabeth. 

"Liz, it's been a while. I like the hair." he said as he ran his fingers through her bangs.

"Like wise." she said as she ran her fingers through the mans black wavy hair that was slicked back. Thomas couldn't help but watch this moment with a hint of jealousy. "This is my friend Thomas." she said as she linked her arm into his and walked him towards the center of the room to stand in front of Thomas. 

"Thomas, this is my ex husband Sam." 

Thomas was stunned by the revelation for a moment and didn't realize that Sam has outstretched his hand for a handshake. 

"Oh, here." Elizabeth said handing Sam something. "Here are the keys to the house, when are the new owners moving in?" 

"The fifth. Liz, are you sure about this. It isn't too late for me to just buy it back and give it back to you." 

"No." Elizabeth sighed, "It's okay. It's time I move on." she simply said with a sad smile. 

"Okay, kiddo." Sam said as he let go of her and let her sit on the couch as he sat on the couch opposite of it. 

"So this is the famous Thomas. Liz here speaks very highly of you." Sam said as he laid back and crossed his legs. 

Thomas cleared his throat, but felt blush rush to his cheek from the thought of Elizabeth talking about him to other people. 

"I would have to assume so." 

"It's great to meet you, but let me get to the point. I own several construction and architectural firms throughout the United States, and recently some business associates of mine have convinced me to move some of it overseas."

Thomas simply nodded his head, "Elizabeth here, tells me you had your own firm, and that you are pretty talented yourself. She also tells me that England has some prime land and  great views, and we thought it would be a great move to open an office there. Problem is that no one I trust within the company wants to move so far, and Elizabeth here does not want to help me run a business." 

She sat up with a smile on her face, "How am I supposed to run a business I have no idea to run." 

"Point is, she recommended you to me. Someone who already lives in England, and who is familiar with the way things work  in the architect business." 

Thomas perked up and realized what was happening, why Elizabeth wanted him to come out to New York with her. 

"I would like you to oversee my soon to be London office." 

Elizabeth gave a small squeal as she turned to Thomas and waited to see what he would say. 

"I don't know what to say." Thomas finally muttered. 

"A yes, would suffice." Sam replied with a laugh, "Elizabeth does not usually trust people, and the fact that she trusts you, makes me trust you. I would also be interested in some of these floor plans Elizabeth says you're always drawing. Hell, if someone is willing to live in them I'll let you oversee their construction." 

Thomas sat stunned as he handed over his notebook to Sam, who began to go through it. Praising some of the work he had been writing in it. 

After an hour of two of conversation, and Elizabeth standing at the window admiring the views, the men concluded their meeting. 

As they rode down the elevator jubilation overtook Thomas. "Thank you." he said as he wrapped an arm around Elizabeth. 

"Of course." she smiled at him.  "Like I said this is what friends are for." 

He looked into her eyes as he pulled her closer. She didn't saw or move a muscle, just continued to smile back up at him as he stared into her eyes. 

His right hand came up and brushed some hair behind her ear as he caressed her cheek. 

"Thomas?" she whispered quietly, almost inaudible over the sound of the metallic cable undoing itself from its coil to lead them down to safety. 

Before either of them could saying anything else, Thomas wrapped his left arm around her waist, and with his right hand still on her cheek, he pulled her in and kissed her. 

 


	21. Last Night in New York

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for your continued support, you have no idea what it means to me!   
> <3

A couple sayd later back at the house Elizabeth separated the boxes into what she was donating and what she would be shipping back to England, when   
Thomas decided to confront her about their kiss, it was their last night in New York, and he wanted to know where they stood. And hopefully that they had mutual feelings for each other. 

But before he could, Jaime came into the living room with bottles of water and fast food. After everybody ate Simon spoke up, “Let’s go out dancing.” 

Jaime laughed and Elizabeth just smiled. “I don’t really dance.” Thomas muttered, which caused everyone to laugh again some more. 

"Don’t worry you don’t really have to know how to dance in order to go out." Elizabeth smiled as she stood up. "It’ll be fun." 

Within the hour everyone had gotten dressed and were in the car on their way to some place called Cielo. Elizabeth explained that at she had done some promotion things for them and would be able to get them in with no problems. 

Thomas couldn't help but stare at Elizabeth. She was dressed in a tight skinny jeans that hugged onto every curve along with a dark green sleeveless shirt that dipped down the center of her chest, leaving the center in between her breast, and the region above her bellybutton exposed. Her hair cascaded in curls and she kept her make up simple only indulging on bight red lipstick that kept his attention on her lips. 

Once in the nightclub Simon and Jamie found remote place to dance, and Elizabeth began to make her way through the crowds. He had never been a part of the club scene finding it pointless, and now being stuck in a club he did not want to be alone. He followed her as she began to rock her hips and sang along with the song that was playing.

She turned around to see how awkward Thomas looked as he looked round at the grinding bodies and bright lights. She said into his ear “just grab someone and dance.”

“What if they don’t want to dance.” Elizabeth laughed.

“Watch this.” She walked up to some random blonde and grabbed her by the hips, which they then proceeded to grind their hips against each others until the song was over. 

"See," she said as she walked back to him. "Everyone here wants to dance, or else they wouldn't be here." 

"I don't think I can be that blunt and just rub up against someone I don't know." 

Elizabeth rolled her eyes, "You're such a drag." She grabbed his hand and pulled him against her body as she began to dance with him.

The warmth of her body against him turned him on, and soon after a couple of songs, he finally loosened up and began to enjoy himself. When Elizabeth saw that he was finally enjoying himself, she began to slip away and dance with other people as well. 

Every once in a while, he would look over and fell a pang of jealousy as he watched her dance with some random stranger. 

He eventually found his way to the bar and downed a shot of whiskey. When he was about to order another shot when Elizabeth was at his side. Her body glistened from sweat that began to bead on her chest, she ordered some juice as she sat on a seat at the counter. 

"I can't believe this is going to be my last night in New York." she said as she looked around at the people dancing and began to drink her juice. 

"You'll still visit though won't you? You are a photographer, you're bound to come back here." 

She shrugged her shoulders, "Maybe, maybe not." He sat next to her and brought his arm around her shoulders.

"You are incredible you know that." he blurted before he even knew what he was thinking. 

Elizabeth looked up at him with a huge on her smile face, "Oh Mister boss man, you're always so sweet." 

A new song started playing, and that twinkle in her eye that he had seen before resurfaced. "I love this song!" she exclaimed as she grabbed his hand and dragged him back to the dance floor. 

Her body pressed up against hes, he wrapped his arm around her waist and kept her hips against his as they grinded their bodies against each other. After the song ended she took a step back, but he wasn't letting her get away this time. 

With the arm wrapped around her waist he pulled her back against him and put his forehead against hers as they continued to dance. She looked into his eyes transfixed with something that shone in them. Neither of them spoke, just danced, with their bodies pressed up against each other. They swayed to the music.

Thomas then leaned in to kiss her again, but then decided against it. It was always him kissing her. For once he wanted to know if she felt the same attraction. His lips hovered an inch away from hers, waiting. 

He began to pull away when she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer. Until she kissed him. Pulling her tighter closer against him, their hungry mouths began to explore each others. 

After some time they finally pulled apart breathless, and wanting more. They stared into each others eyes for what seemed forever, when she finally said, "Lets get out of here."

And with that she took his hand and led him out of the club. 


	22. Last Night in New York Pt. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> WARNING Sexual content

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading my story, there is only approx two to three chapters left, and am just so happy that you all took this road with me. <3

They had taken a cab back to her house, and they couldn't keep their hands off of each other as they ascended the stairs up to the bedrooms. As they reached the top of the stairs, they had removed each others clothes, and he carried her into her parents bedroom. The one she had been sleeping in the last couple of days as Simon and Jaime had been sharing her old bedroom. 

Passion engulfed them as she shoved him on the bed. Looking up at her he couldn't help but let a laugh out. 

"What's so funny?" she said, self consciously as she wrapped her arms around herself and sat on the edge of the bed. 

"Nothing," he said as he joined her at the end of the bed and wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer. "To be honest, I've actually thought about this moment so much, that I'm thinking it's not real."

Elizabeth let out a laugh, "Me too." she admitted. They sat there naked for a moment,when Thomas broke the awkwardness of the situation by pulling her against him for another kiss. And soon they were back to the same torrid passion fueled moment that they were sharing. 

She brought him on top of her as she wrapped her arms around his neck, and pulled him down to kiss him again. He pressed his chest against her breast and his hips against hers. 

He could feel her warmth and want underneath him and he couldn't contain the suspense any longer. With a swift thrust he entered her. 

"Fuck." she yelped. She was tight, almost virginal like, Thomas thought, and he pulled out quickly thinking he hurt her. "Are you okay." he asked worried. 

Elizabeth took a deep breath in, "Yeah," she said shaking her head and grabbing his wrists and pulling him back on top of her, "It's just been a long while since I've done this." she let out a bit of a giggle. 

He smiled as she kissed him,but he threaded carefully, not wanting to hurt her. Elizabeth noticed. "Thomas," she said, "Sit up."

He did so without thinking about it, placed his back against the headboard. Elizabeth swiftly straddled him between her legs and kissed him passionately. 

"I said it's been a while, you don't have to handle me like a child." And with that engulfed him into her. His head bumped against the headboard as he threw it back in ecstasy. She buried her face into the crevice of his neck as she began to slowly rise and fall upon him. 

He wrapped his arms up and around her back, digging his nails in with each fall upon his lap. "Oh Elizabeth." he moaned, as she leaned down and nibbled on his lip. 

After a while of being acquainted with each others bodily needs, she began to lean back letting him deeper into her. He couldn't take it anymore and with her legs still wrapped around him, he supported her back with his hands, and pushed forward, until she was the one on her back and he was the one on top. 

"Oh Thomas." she moaned as she reached up and let her hands settle on his hip pulling him into her deeper and deeper. 

He felt her walls closer around him, even more than he thought possible, and found himself close to coming. He realized that it too had been long time since he had been intimate as well. 

As if though reading his mind, Elizabeth then said, "It's okay, we have all night." 

With that Thomas let him give into his need for release, and collapsed into her arms. 

In between the hard heaves of their breaths, Elizabeth let out a chuckle. 

"Whats so funny?" Thomas asked his time. 

"Nothing. I just." she looked at him and whispered "I feel like going out somewhere. You up to it." 

Thomas laughed in between gasping breathes.

"What another club?" 

"No," she said "Somewhere I don't take people." 

He looked at the gleam in her eyes and couldn't help himself. He found himself wanting to give into anything she wanted. 

"Sure." 

She sprang up and began to get dressed. 

"Dress very warm." she said with a sly smile on her face. 


	23. Last Night in New York pt.3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry that I took forever writing this chapter. Thank you all for continuing to read and support my story. 
> 
> **&notes&**  
> I am a huge fan of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, as you can tell from the title of this story. And this scene/chapter is actually borrowed and based from it. Hopefully I did it some justice.

"Ah!" Elizabeth yelled as she slipped on the ice and fell on her butt. Thomas laughed as he began to slid across the ice to where she currently laid laughing on the ice. 

They were on the Charles River facing Harvard. It had completely frozen over and Elizabeth had convinced him to walk on it. As he outreached his hand to help her up, lost his footing and fell. Elizabeth laughed harder at the sight of Thomas on his back on the ice, and wrapped her arm around his waist. 

"Are you okay?" she managed in between laughing fits. He laughed and nodded an okay. 

He turned around and smiled at her face. Her hazel eyes were closed as she laughed hard. She seemed truly happy and realized that he was too. 

Once their laughing fits began to calm down they stared up at the night sky, Elizabeth pointed up towards something to the right of them and said, "Second to the right and straight till morning!" at the top of her lungs in a British accent. 

"That's a horrible accent." Thomas laughed.

"Shut it!" Elizabeth playfully poked at his ribs.  

After a moment of laying there, Thomas finally asked. "What is this place?" 

"Well this is the Charles River, and that's Harvard." Elizabeth stood up and gave her hand to Thomas to help him up, and he followed as they began to walk back towards solid ground. 

She took a deep breath before continuing, "My dad always wanted me to go to Harvard, and just up the road, about lets give or take five miles, is where I lost my parents." 

Thomas stopped in his track and looked up into the darkness, up the road that she had nodded towards while telling the story. 

"I haven't been here in years. It always hurt too much. Everyone that told me I needed closure, see this place one more time. And I'm starting to think that they were right. Being here just feels right."

Thomas began to keep in step with her and realized that she was here to say goodbye. To everything. 

She turned around and let a sigh out as she stared at Harvard in the dark. "It hurts but it feels right. Like a good hurt." She let out another sigh and smiled at him. "I just didn't feel like facing it alone."

Thomas gave her a smile and put his arm around her shoulder bringing her closer to him as he pressed a kiss on her forehead. "I can't begin to imagine what is going through you right now. But just know that I am here for you." 

"I know," she smiled at him. "Now come," she grabbed his hand and began to lead him back to the car. "I know this place that serves some great pizza."  

He let out a slight chuckle as he got in the passenger seat and let her drive away into the night. 

\--

The next day the house was empty. Most of the boxes had already been shipped to London, and the others sent for donation. Elizabeth stood in the middle of the empty living room with tears in her eyes, as she survied the last of her childhood home. 

"Are you okay darling?" Thomas spoke up as he stood in the doorway. 

"Yeah." she said as she wiped the one tear that had escaped her eye. 

Jaime appeared next to him, she wore her feelings like a badge. Her tears streamed down her cheeks and her eyes were puffed red from all the crying she had done all morning. 

"Liz come hug me. This home has so many memories. We grew up here." Jaime simply said in between sobs.

Seeing her friend she let herself break down and cry. Thomas left the two friends be as they cried in each others arms. 

\--

Elizabeth smiled as she sat next to Thomas on the plane, her camera in hand. She had taken photos non stop since leaving the house. Not wanting to forget anything about their trip. 

As the plane took off, Elizabeth took pictures through the window of the New York skyline in the distance. 

"Bye New York." 

Thomas interlocked his fingers into hers and held her hand close to him. "You'll come back." 

"I think it best that I don't." she smiled at him. "I can't keep living in the past." 

With that she laid her head on his shoulder and slowly began to drift to sleep. 


	24. February

Thomas awoke to the smell of bacon and eggs cooking in the kitchen. He smiled as he stretched out and began to make his way out into the hallway. 

In the last month since returning to London he had moved into her flat and they had been happy. Elizabeth stayed in London as Jaime and Simon kept postponing their wedding, and had recently decided to put it off until after the baby was born. These days Jaime had found herself more moody than usual and unable to plan her wedding. 

Walking into the kitchen he found Elizabeth standing there in shorts and a a tank top. He couldn't help but smile as he sneaked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist and nuzzles a kiss against the back of her neck. 

"Morning you." she giggled as she transferred the food onto plates and placed the pan in the sink.

"Morning." he said back as he sat and began to eat. She smiled at him the entire time, "What?" he asked. "Is there something on my face?" 

She laughed, "No! It's your birthday! And Sam called this morning, he told me to bring you into the city so you can check out the new office." 

"Oh wow." Thomas said. He couldn't believe had passed by so fast. He was another year older and he would be starting a new firm, that wasn't his. But that didn't matter, Sam had already seen some of his work and had it lined up for clients interested in them. 

He was back at the reason he had chosen this career, creating a homes for people to live in. Raise families and grow old in. 

"Well I must not be late for my first day in now should I." he said as he got up and put his empty plate in sink and kissed her on the forehead. "I'll shower and get ready and head out." 

He had just turned on the water and entered the shower when she walked in naked, "If we shower together we'll get there faster." she simply said with a smile on her face. 

He smirked and opened the shower door, "You sure that's the only reason you're in here?" Thomas said coyly. 

"I assure you Mister Hiddleston, it is." she said with a smile on her face. "Now hand me the sponge." He did as he was told and handed it to her. 

She reached over and grabbed the soap off the shower caddy and created a lather of soap on her hand with the sponge. "Lets you clean for your first day." she smiled as she ran her soapy hands on his shoulders and chest. 

He didn't know why but this simple touch turned him on, and she knew it. 

"Ms Reynolds," he started but was cut off by her leaning in and kissing him as she let her hands trail down his abdomen and stomach, and slowly around his semi erection, causing him to get harder. 

He pushed her against the shower wall and began to kiss her more forcefully, she moaned as she moved her hand up and tangled her fingers into his hair, and her leg around his waist. 

Reaching down he got a steady grip on her ass lifting her up and against the wall to lead himself into her causing her to pull on his hair and moan into his mouth as he began to get a steady pace. 

She wrapped her legs tightly around his waist and pulled him deeper into him, causing him bite her lip. "Fuck Elizabeth." he moaned as he went deeper into her. 

Nibbling on his neck she dug her fingernails into his back, he couldn't hold it any longer as he began to pump quicker into her. "Oh Thomas." she moaned, "Faster." 

He reached down and began to rub on her clit, he wanted her to get there with him. She began to arch her back towards him and threw her head back in ecstasy as he worked her over. 

"Oh god," she moaned as she began to tighten around him and he knew she was almost there. He began to pump harder into her making sure they'd get there together. 

Once achieved they stood there for a while regaining breath as the water continued to cascade onto them. 

Smiling at each other Elizabeth finally spoke up, "We should get going, you're going to be late for your first day." 

He smiled at her as he kissed her. 

After getting dressed, Elizabeth grabbed his hand and they ran down the hall. "We're not that late." 

"No your gift is downstairs, come on. I can't wait to see your face." 

"I thought the shower was my gift." 

"Shut up!" Elizabeth laughed as she playfully shoved him and pressed the elevator button. Once downstairs she demanded that he closed his eyes as she led him to the garage. 

"Okay open them." 

It was a brand new black BMW, "I couldn't help myself, and I couldn't let you drive up to your first day in my crappy car." 

Thomas couldn't help it he pulled her in and kissed her again, "Have I told you how amazing you are." 

Elizabeth beamed a giant grin. "That's the first time someone other than my parents have ever said that. Now come on." she handed him the keys, "Let's get going." 

 


	25. History

Thomas  took a deep breath in as he walked into the office. It was just as grand as the one in New York. Ceiling to floor windows. Marble pillars. Spacious and full of light. 

A smile began to form on his face as he walked along the corridor and heard Sam's voice in an office. "Yeah. It's beautiful out here sweetheart. I'll buy you a plane ticket, have you and the girls out here by the weekend." 

He was on his phone staring out the window over central London, when he turned around and saw Thomas standing there. "Hey babe. I got to let you go, I'll call you back in a bit. Okay. Yeah. I love you too." 

"Hey there Tom." Sam said as he walked over and shook his hand. "How are you doing?" 

"Good." Tom smiled as he looked around. "This is one hell of an office." 

"Glad you like it. It's yours." 

Thomas's eyes widened as he took a sweep of the office. It was twice the size of his old one, and couldn't believe it was his, and Sam could see the surprised look on his face. 

"Don't tell me you don't like it. I know marble is kinda tacky, but it just went well with the flooring that I had it up it in." 

"Yeah. No." Thomas said quickly. "I like it, just it's huge." 

"Well, you will be boss, so you need it. Come on I'll give you the grand tour." 

After an two hours of walking and talking, Sam finally sat down and they got right to business. He had already compiled an intensive list of clients wanting to come in for consultations for renovations to existing homes, and even people wanting to build brand new homes. He was going to be busy soon. 

After a while the guys decided to grab lunch to take a break from working. 

"So," Sam said in between bites of his cheeseburger. "What's Lizzie up to today?" 

Thomas looked up from his burger, "A photo shot for a wedding." 

"Really? Not traveling the country?" 

"Not for now, Jaime is pregnant and she's on standby. Waiting for the baby to come." 

Sam gave a chuckle. "She'd make a great mom if she'd ever find the right person." 

Thomas just shook his head as he took another bite from his burger. 

"Is she still with that girl Kim?" 

A piece of burger lodged in throat. "I'm sorry?" Thomas managed to say. 

"Yeah, Kim. Her girlfriend. Are they still together? Or did they break up. Liz and I don't keep in touch too often. I got married two years ago and we haven't updated each other much." 

"We are talking about the same Elizabeth? The one who you were married too, which got me this job, Elizabeth." Thomas had to reiterate. 

"Yeah." Sam said with a confused look on his face. "The one that was with Jason, then they called it quits and like a couple months later she shacked up with Kim. Some girl she met at a photo shoot." 

Staggering information had just been fed to him. Things he didn't know. So she had been seeing other people. And not just men but women too. 

"Wait," Sam said looking at Thomas from the other side of the table. "Are you two..."

Thomas slightly nodded. "And you didn't know." He shook his head. 

"I'm sorry I had no right. I just thought you guys were friends, and she's pretty much always upfront about things." 

The rest of the day was pretty awkward to Thomas and Sam. They concentrated mostly on work and both avoided anything that might be personal or rather Elizabeth. 

They said goodnight about seven and both headed their separate ways. 

He couldn't help but think about it on the driveway home. He knew that she had a life before him. She had a past, she had been married, she had dated. She had a life before he met her. 

When he arrived home Elizabeth was finishing up cooking dinner. "I got this awesome recipe for chicken parmigiana, so fingers crossed it comes tastes great." she giggled as she kissed his cheek and set the table. 

"You okay?" she asked. "You look, I don't know what you look actually. How did your first day go?" 

Thomas shrugged his shoulders as he sat at the table. "It was fine. Just on a bit of an overload." 

She smiled at him as she set down the food on plates and poured him a glass of wine. "Well then, dinner can wait." She said as she brought him the glass of wine and began to undue to the buttons of his shirt, "I can help de-stress you." She nibbled on his ear. 

As much as he wanted this, his stomach flipped around. "Actually darling, I am quite starving, how about we have dinner." he said as he gently stepped around her and sat at the table. 

"Oh." Elizabeth looked a bit hurt. "Sure." she sat down and they ate in silence. 

The entire night he couldn't help but look everywhere in the flat and think about the people who had been here before. The people she had slept with before. The life she had lived. 

It shouldn't bother him, everything inside him told him. Why should it? 

But as they went to bed, he couldn't help but think about who else had slept in this bed. Who else had held her close and whispered in her ear the way he did. 

He couldn't help but think. All night long. Into the early morning hours, realizing he had not slept at all. 

And before Elizabeth woke up, he crept out of bed and drove to his office to sleep on the couch before his day began. No one but him had ever slept on that couch, he told himself as he drifted to sleep. 


	26. Valentines Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, So my story is slowly coming to an end. I want to thank you all again for continuing to read and support my story. 
> 
> This break up scene is heavily borrowed from another one of a great movie that I love "Chasing Amy." Hope that you all enjoy this chapter.

"We're going to be late." Thomas muttered as he waited at the front door as Elizabeth finished getting ready. 

"We are not. It's just a Valentine's Day get together." She said as she walked out wearing a red lace dress that ended just above her knees, and red pumps. Her lips were masked in coral lipstick that matched the shade of red and her hair was up in a braid. "Just Simon, Jaime and some friends. It doesn't matter if we're late." 

The last week had hard on their relationship. Something was wrong, and Elizabeth knew it. He was gone before she awoke in the mornings, and showed up late at night. But she didn't want to push him away, she gave him his space, and decided that when he would want to talk, she'd be there. But it was getting harder and harder everyday. 

When they arrived at the venue Simon and Jaime had chosen it was decorated with hearts and red trimming. Music was playing, and everyone was already dancing and having a good time. 

Elizabeth smiled as she walked around saying hi to everybody present. Thomas made his way to the bar quickly downing his first martini. 

"Tom. How have you been?" Benedict said as he walked up and ordered a drink for himself. 

The two friends began to catch up about what had happened in the last couple of months. 

"Where's Sarah?" Thomas asked realizing that he hadn't seen her, or had appeared anywhere.

"Uh," Ben said as took another sip from his drink. "She's staying with her parents." 

"What?" Thomas asked as he drank another martini. 

"Yeah, she said that she didn't love me anymore. That I spend too much time working. That I spend too much time talking to other people. With other people. She just said that she just didn't love me anymore." 

The monochromatic tone in which Benedict said it, Tom knew that he was hurting inside and couldn't help but feel sad for his friend. They talked for a while longer, when he decided to look for Elizabeth. 

He tripped over his own feet once or twice, realizing that he was drunk from all the drinks he had taken, he had lost most of his balance. He began to walk as slowly as he could to keep from falling, as he looked for her. 

She was talking to Sam and a women that he was with. Before he could make it over, someone else had come up and asked Elizabeth for a dance. Taking his hand, Thomas watched as Elizabeth danced and danced with this man. 

When he finally made his way over to her, the song had ended. She turned around to see him standing behind her and couldn't help but cough. He reeked off of alcohol, but she hid her discomfort. 

"May I have the next dance?" he asked. 

"You may." she smiled weakly at him. He began to spin her around as they slow danced.

"So who was he?" Thomas said bitterly.

"Some friend of Jaime's, he's another one of Simon's groomsmen." 

"Ah, have you slept with him yet?" 

"What?" Elizabeth asked as she let go off him and stepped back.

"You heard me, have you slept with him yet Liz?" he practically shouted, causing everyone to look over. 

"Or how about him," he said as he pointed to someone else. "Or him." pointed to someone else. "Or how about her?" 

Elizabeth began to realize why he had been so distant and looked over to Sam. "I'm sorry." he mouthed over to her. 

"Huh Liz? How about them?" he pointed to a couple in the corner.

Ben came up and put his arm around his friends shoulder, "Come on Tom ,you had too much to drink." 

"Oh what about you Ben. Have you slept with her too!" he accused his friend. Elizabeth couldn't take it any longer. Her stomach was knots, and felt like she had to vomit. And her heart felt like it had teared it hole in her chest. She turned around and ran out of the venue. 

Thomas quickly ran after her. "Hey." He yelled as he caught up to her in the parking lot, reaching out to grab her hand. 

"Get the fuck of me!," she yelled as she took her hand back, spinning around to face Thomas with her mascara already running down her cheeks. "Yeah, its true! I've slept around! Want some more crap you probably didn't know. I took a 24 year old to my high school prom and I left half way through to have sex with him! In college, I let Kevin video tape us having sex. Only to find out the next day he broadcast it to the entire fucking campus!  Some I did out of stupidity, some I did because of what I thought was love. But they were my choices! And I am not making apologies for them now! Not to you, not to anyone." 

"How do you think I'm supposed to feel about this?"

"What about it! It was just some sex!"

"Some sex!" Thomas sputtered out angry.  

"YES! Some sex, like you have had in the past as well. The only thing that matters is what you feel about me." 

"I don't know how I feel about you right now." 

Elizabeth nodded her head as she looked up to the sky, with more tears streaming down her face. She turned around and kept walking away not looking back once at Thomas. 

And he stood there with his feet glued to the ground. 


	27. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to thank you all for riding this roller coaster with me. And for you continued support.  
> I hope you enjoyed it. 
> 
> Please let me know if you'd like a part two, I do have some ideas, but only if you would like to read it =)  
> again thank you, you have no idea what your continued support means to me <3

"Are you okay?" Jaime's voice snapped Thomas out of his thinking state. 

He was at his office in his desk staring out the window into the London afternoon. Sam had left him and charge, and said he could hire who ever he wanted and trusted to help him build this office up from the ground. And Jaime was the only person he called. 

She put a cup of tea and building material estimates on his desk, as she began to massage her ever growing abdomen. 

"Yes." he lied. He refused to let anyone know how much he actually missed Elizabeth. It had been a month since he last saw her. Since he let her go, instead of apologizing for his drunken rant.  Jaime sighed and sat on the chair in front of his desk. "This won't work if you lie to me." 

Thomas looked back at her. She had changed the last year. She always wore her hair down, she was more head stronger and said what came to mind. He admired her change. 

"I'm sorry. It's just I can't stop thinking about that night. What I should have done. Could have done." 

She nodded her head realizing what it was that he was kicking himself over. "Well just know, that she doesn't blame you. Okay. And she doesn't hate you." 

"Than why has she not returned home. Why has she not answered my calls? Why not talk to me." 

Jaime stood up and smiled at him. "Because she's in California on another assignment you silly man. She had left for her assignment in Peru, and while she was there, she received another one in California. She would love nothing better than to talk to you, but give her some time. This space will be good for the both of you." 

Thomas looked out the window, and never felt further away from her, as he did now. He didn't even know she had left the country and now he felt her slowly slipping away. 

"Your one o clock is here. Should I send them in?" 

Thomas nodded his head as he sat up in his chair.  That night he drove slowly back to the flat. The loneliness and emptiness of it drove him insane. He often imaged her standing in the kitchen making dinner as if nothing had happened. She'd kiss him on the cheek. 

They'd sit and have dinner while they discussed work, and what nicknames they would give Jaime and Simon's child once it was born. 

Inside he imagined what their children would look like. If it was a girl, he imagined it would be a female version of himself with her hazel eyes and smile. If it was a boy, he'd look like her, with his blue eyes, and his smile. They would both have curly hair, and be just as head strong and stubborn as their mother, but care free as well. He would be the one to keep everyone in line, only to lose it a second later and be part of the craziness as well. 

They would have a house with as many room as there were stars in the sky. And the lost boys would live with them. They would have a garden, where he would grow jasmine and roses for her. No, roses are too generic. He'd grow her a field of sunflowers. 

Walking into the flat, he was met with boxes stacked against the wall next to the front door. Some of them were labeled. 

Clothes

Books

Photo Albums

Electronics

His heart dropped to into his stomach. He knew what this was. She was moving out. She came out around the corner of the hallway with another box of things, in a flannel button up and form fitting jeans, her hair was down and her bangs had grown out a bit hiding her eyes from him. She had never been more beautiful to him than this moment. The simplicity of who she was. 

She stood there frozen with the box in her arms as she blew the bangs out of her eyes. "Sorry, I thought you wouldn't be home for another hour or so." 

Thomas finally snapped out of it and walked over. "No don't be silly. This is your flat, here let me help you with that." he said as he dropped his briefcase at the door and walked over to help her with the box. 

Reaching out for it he brushed his fingers against hers as he pulled the box away from her. The contact causing his heart to race. He set it against the wall with the other boxes and then looked back at her. He wanted to hold her and kiss her. Tell her that he was sorry. 

She idled with her thumb for a moment before turning around and heading back to the bedroom. A moment of impulse passed before Thomas decided to follow her. She was folding up some more of her clothes stacked on the bed, when he came up from behind her, wrapped his arms around her waist, and nuzzled his nose into the crevice of her neck. 

"Can't we talk about this." he whispered into her ear. 

"Yeah, give me a minute to finish folding this first." she said, as she slipped out of his arms and bent over to grab another t shirt and began to fold it. 

He stood on the opposite side of the bed and began to help her fold some clothes. She had never once changed his mind when he made it up, and he was going to give her the same courtesy. She had made up her mind, and he was not going to sway her from it.

After an hour or so of helping her finish packing her things. They sat on the couch. Both on opposite ends of the couch, and staring out the window overlooking Hyde Park. 

When he finally spoke up, "Liz, I just want-." 

"Please don't call me Liz." she cut him off.  He looked over at her with hurt in his eyes, and she met his gaze. "The only time you have called me by nickname, you were calling me a whore in front of all my friends. So I would prefer that you don't call me that."

Thomas nodded, he understood why she felt that way.

"I already left my key downstairs with the front office. The name of the apartment has been transferred to you. It's paid for, so you don't have to worry about any bills for this place." He reached out and held her hand in his, and whispered "Is there anything I can say or do to change your mind." Her eyes watered as she brought up her free hand and caressed his cheek.

"Just live. Date. Love." He looked into her eyes and realized what she meant, why she was leaving. "But I love you. I want you to stay. I'm sorry for the hateful things that I said."

"I know you are," she said as she closed the gap between them. "But the fact is that I have loved, hated. I have dated and I have experienced the heartache, caused some myself, that there is out in the world to do. You have not." She kissed his cheek.

"You were in love with one person only your entire life, and my life is the complete opposite of that.  I envy that about you. I know that right now you say you don't really hate me, but down the road you will. You'll be mad that I have theses," she shook her head looking for the right word, "experiences. And you have not experienced that. This isn't me saying that I don't want us to be together. This is me saying that I want us to tak a break. I want you to experience life. Date. Break hearts. Have yours broken."

He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her against him, "I don't want that I want you." and press his mouth against hers. She kissed him back passionately as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her body against his.

He began to walk backwards leading them to the bedroom not breaking contact. 

Once the back of his knees bumped against the edge of the bed he began to work on the buttons of her shirt, as she undid his. They pulled at each others clothes to the sound of the breathless moan and groans as they struggled with buttons and zippers. Soon they were naked and tangled in the bed sheets. 

His mouth explored every single inch of her body as she moaned underneath him. He wanted her to stay, he was going to make her stay. Fuck what she wanted at this point. 

He began to kiss her folds as she bucked her hips up towards him, and with one swift movement he let his tongue slide in and explore every each possible. "Tom." she moaned as she reached down and tangled her fingers in his hair. He kept at it until she finally gave a tug to his hair making him come up and kiss her. Passionately. 

Laying his body on top of hers, he swiftly pumped into her as he used his right hand to keep himself up and the left he gripped her ass as he pumped faster and harder into her. 

The entire time he watched her face, the movements. The shape her mouth made as she moaned his name and gasped with every swift thrust of himself. When he couldn't take it any longer he reached down and began to slowly work her clit, and she was near climax as well. 

"Say my name." he whispered into her ear as continued to work her clit, "Tom." he moaned as he pumped harder into her. 

"I love you." he said as he released his load into her and collapsed into her arms. 

Laying his head onto her chest as they caught their breaths, he kissed her again and said it in case she didn't hear it. "I love you Elizabeth." 

She smiled as she ran her fingers through his hair, as he listened to the beating of her heart, she said it before they drifted off to sleep. "I love you Thomas." 

The next morning he awoke alone. 

He waited a while,  _shes in the loo._ he thought to himself as he found himself dozing off into sleep once again. 

An hour later his alarm blared, letting him know that he had two hours to get ready for work. Outstretching as he got out of bed, he realized that Elizabeth was still not there. 

Checked the bathroom, not there.

Checked the kitchen, not there. 

In the living room the boxes she had packed were gone, and panic finally set in. 

Reality sunk in. 

She was gone. 


End file.
